Stranger Things Had Happened
by neversonbabies
Summary: Post season 1. Rachel's summer is going to be the best. She has "kinda friends" in Glee club and possibly a new boyfriend to occupy her time. Then there's Puck who is somehow thrown into her crazy. Rated for Puck's mouth. Eventual Puckleberry? Perhaps.
1. Goodbye School, Hello Summer

**A/N: Woo first upload! Neat! So...I wrote this one way back when during the break between seasons 1 and 2. Clearly the storylines and characters have changed course since season 1, but I wanted to upload this guy anyway. I have stuff I'm itching to upload, but I need to get this one out there first. For continuity and ish. Think of "Stranger Things" as an alternate way the summer could have gone for the Glee Clubbers. I already have the entire thing finished and updates should happen fairly quickly, but reviews would be great anyway!**

**As per usual, I own nothing except the choice of swear words that incessantly flow out of Puck's mouth. You KNOW he would have a total sailor's mouth if FOX would allow it. **

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><p>Even after Mr. Schuester dismissed Glee Club from its final meeting of the school year the 12 members lingered in the choir room, not quite ready to let the day end. They sat scattered on the stage-like steps, reminiscing and joking, drawing out the last few minutes of Glee that the year would permit. A sense of ease now permeated the air, every face grinning with the knowledge that it <em>wasn't<em> the final semester of Glee Club after all. They would all come back after summer vacation to a room full of these same faces and pick up right where they left off, for the most part friends.

Rachel reclined into Finn, who sat behind her one level above, basking in the glory that this summer she would have both friends and possibly a boyfriend to occupy her days, rather than biding her time with music lessons, and singing lessons, and acting lessons, and any other form of lesson to further her career. If there was one thing Rachel had learned over the course of the school year, it was that it wasn't always about her. Part of being a star, she'd figured out, was being confident in her star presence regardless of what part she sang. Other people's happiness could bring about her own happiness if she let it, and letting their joy sometimes take precedence over her own made for friendship and trust. Sitting around her was proof of that; these 11 other kids had finally come around to her type-A personality and actually kind of liked her. Most of the time. Sometimes. Even Santana…at least on a good day.

Rachel leaned her head back to look at Finn and smiled as he laughed at one of Matt's jokes. Finally, after having given up all hope that Finn would be her leading man, the varsity quarter back came around, confessing his feelings backstage at Sectionals. The school year had been full of roadblocks: Quinn, Puck, and Jessie. Now was their real chance to make it work, and they had all summer to figure it out. Noticing Rachel was looking at him rather than the group, Finn gazed down and squeezed her shoulder, grinning so that the corners of his eyes crinkled. Oh yes, this was going to be an excellent summer.

Coming back into the moment, Rachel caught the tail end of Santana explaining to Brittany that no, a "kumquat" was not what it sounded like. Rachel giggled into her hand and looked around the room to see who else was amused by Brittany's expanding _lack_ of knowledge. Her eyes met those of a shaven headed boy who sat leaning forward, his forearms resting on his thighs. The intensity of the look he was giving her made her breath catch.

Puck sat at the edge of the group, keeping his eye on Rachel and how she was behaving with Finn. They weren't even a couple yet and the girl was already cozying in on the role of girlfriend. How fucking stupid. How much did anyone want to bet that Finn would get sick of her _again_ and jet, smashing her fragile heart into a million pieces? She'd already had it happen to her twice in the last year. She didn't need it again, and no one wanted to be subject to the weeks of crying, raging, and general overly-dramatic reactions that were the Berry signature. Puck watched as the Brunette dipped her head back to look at his ex-best friend. Her longing gaze was met with a simple grin and a shoulder squeeze. Puck snorted to himself. What a waste. If it had been him, he would have ran his hands through her hair, down her neck and kissed her from above. Chicks LOVED it when he did that, and it was a sure bet that Berry would love it even more. She seemed the type of totally fall for romantic, intense shit. …not that he'd thought about it much.

He snuck a quick glance at Santana who caught his gaze and held it. The Latina bit her bottom lip between her teeth and winked, giving a sultry look, before finally cracking up. Puck chuckled. At least Santana was a good sport about their past. After their break up she'd moved on easily to some kid on the baseball team and then to Matt before the gossip had even been given a chance to spread. And then there was Brittany. Who even knew besides them how involved _that_ situation was. It didn't matter, though. Santana owned her sexuality, used it however she saw fit, and was fine with that. She and Puck were two of a kind, almost too similar to ever really work together. They were friends now, nothing more, and it seemed to work better that way. He winked back, bringing a smile to her face.

Santana's head whipped around to look incredulously at Brittany as the blonde said something else asinine and Puck's gaze returned to Rachel. The sudden change in scenery made him pause. Rachel wasn't jaw-dropping gorgeous or anything like that. Actually, the girl was pretty simple. Very little makeup, reserved clothes, and a strut that said "I am needed elsewhere" rather than "fuck me" defined her image. Where Quinn had a gorgeous, pure look to her – even though everyone knew she was anything but - and Santana was blindingly sexy, Rachel appeared almost naive and quiet. That is, until she opened her mouth and started bossing someone around. Or sang. Fuck that girl could sing. Puck figured that if someone really was fucking awesome, like he obviously was, that person had every right to brag about it. Rachel Berry could gloat about her star quality 'till the cows came home, she just had that much chutzpah. Even if it did get annoying after five minutes. Out of anyone in the room, Rachel was the one most likely to make something of herself. She was going places, and the girl needed the ego to put up with the shit she was going to encounter on the way. Puck shrugged inwardly. It made sense, at least to him. Anyway, Berry could always open her mouth and sing if things got intense. Her voice generally had the effect of shutting up anyone in a 100 foot radius.

Puck shifted in his seat at the thought of Rachel singing. Not one of those loud, belting songs she favored. Something softer, more muted. Not that he would admit it to anyone, but when she sang like that it sounded so pretty that Puck actually entertained the idea that being around Rachel Berry everyday wouldn't be so bad. Everyone ALWAYS wished Rachel would stop singing just long enough to give someone else a chance, but when she sang one of those simple, classic songs Puck didn't mind in the slightest. He wondered if she would want to get together sometime over the summer and sing while he strummed his acoustic. It would sound fucking awesome, considering he was a badass guitar player and singer as well. If he promised her they would play in public, like a park or something, Berry was guaranteed to say yes. Just for the applause. Just then Rachel's head turned and caught him watching her. It took her a moment to process that Puck didn't look away, like most people did when they were caught staring. He continued to gaze at her, in his mind telling her what he thought of her and how she shouldn't bother with Hudson again. Not that Puck necessarily wanted to take Finn's place. He just thought Rachel would do better with someone less passive…and more interesting.

"…so are you, Puck?"

Puck snapped up in his seat, having no idea what anyone was talking about or who had even asked him the question. Rachel jumped a little too, blushed, and stared contentedly in another direction. "Come again?" he asked.

"That's what she said" Santana quipped, drawing a few more chuckles from around the room.

"You would know" Brittany commented absentmindedly, picking at her nails. The room went quiet as mouths bit down to suppress laughter. Santana sent glares of death at the leggy blonde next to her as she clenched her right hand into a fist, fighting off the urge to be mad at her best friend. Quinn leaned over to hold down Santana's wrist and shook her head no, murmuring about "what happened last time."

"Fuck you, Brit" the Latina mumbled, crossing her arms and slouching down in her seat. Brittany screwed up her face, confused, but leaned into Santana and whispered something only she could hear. The Latina tried not to smile, but failed and grinned widely at Brittany. Magically all was forgiven.

Puck cocked an eyebrow at the two girls and rolled his eyes. "Waddya say, Rutherford?"

"I asked if you were going to be throwing your usual end of the year party this summer" Matt asked, bringing the conversation back on topic.

"What party?" Mercedes interjected. She scrunched her eyebrows, not understanding exactly what was going on. "Homeboy isn't making any sense."

"Every summer Puck throws an end of the year" Finn explained. "It's, like, the party all other summer parties try to one-up. It's just the shit, the best way to start the summer."

"Oh…" Rachel responded, looking from the set of "cool" kids to the "outcasts" and back again. "I've never heard of it" she finished quietly. Finn leaned forward, wrapped an arm around her, crossing from shoulder to shoulder, and opened his mouth to say something comforting.

"Well this summer you have, and that means you're coming" Puck cut in before any more awkwardness could come from the conversation. Brittany and Santana exchanged bewildered looks and then scrutinized Puck. Why the _fuck _was he being nice to Man Hands? Puck threw up his fist and bumped it against Matt's in a typical boy move, oblivious to the odd looks etched on the girls' faces. "I'm kinda on probation, though. If I can get away with it this year, then fuck yeah, it's on like Donkey Kong."

"Do you think it's do-able?" queried Artie, absentmindedly tipping back onto the "anti-tip" casters on his wheelchair and back again.

"Yeah, are you sure you suddenly won't recognize us if we show up?" Kurt sneered, not for a second stupid enough to trust Puck's word. "I've had enough of your football buddies throwing me in dirt, or mud, or garbage. They've ruined enough of my spring collection as it is and my skin breaks out at the mere thought of what _things_ live in dumpsters."

"What did I just say?" Puck snapped indignantly. "I said ya'll are cool to come. IF I can even get it together this time. My mom is gonna be on my ass this summer, like house arrest kinda shit. I'll try." Puck shook his head and snuck another glance at Rachel. She was trying really hard to keep am impassive face, but Puck's insistence on their attendance, hers specifically, was nonplusing.

Wondering just what Puck's ulterior motive was, Rachel squinted her eyes at him for a moment - but _only_ for a moment because she didn't want her face to wrinkle prematurely and ruin her chance at winning the paramount role of her career. Puck was never nice for the sake of simply being nice. Actually, he was an ass. An ass that made inappropriate comments and mocked everyone. _That_ was the Puck everyone knew. Granted, those two characteristics weren't all that there was to Noah Puckerman. Somewhere in there was a boy who actually cared about people and their general feelings. Rachel had seen it, and she was sure Quinn had seen some part of it too. Naturally, no one else believed that Puck had thoughts beyond "hunger, anger, selfishness, sex, and then more anger." She knew, though. She knew he cared deep down about the kids in Glee, liked them for who they were and thought of them as friends.

Eventually the group disbanded, going their separate ways with promises of text messages and Facebook wall posts. Rachel couldn't help but feel it all a bit impersonal. Where was the emotion? The substance? A series of digital 1's and 0's was literally nothing. She shrugged it off knowing that, for her generation, everything was somewhat impersonal and utterly public. Sometimes Rachel wondered why she hadn't been born in another decade. She longed for a time where men wooed women with bouquets and love letters, or serenades and courtly gestures. The sad truth was boys her age had no imagination anymore.

Pushing the missive out of her mind, Rachel walked with Finn down the slowly emptying halls of McKinley High towards the student parking lot. As they turned down the short hall that lead to the nearest exit, Finn slowed, then cursed to himself. "Aww crap!" Finn grimaced and turned to Rachel's confused face. "God, I'm sorry Rach. I forgot Coach Tanaka wanted to talk to me after school. He's gonna kill me for being late because of Glee club."

"But it's the _last_ day of school" Rachel expressed, "can he make you do _anything_?"

"He can make sure I'm not 1st string QB or the captain next fall" Finn replied, as if it were the worst thing in the world. Rachel raised an eyebrow, clearly not impressed with the threat at hand. They lost every game anyway. It wasn't like football was going to take him anywhere but to the bottle in his mid 40s if he didn't come to terms with their failure now. "Anyway, I have no idea how long he's going to keep me here. It might be ten minutes, it might be an hour."

Rachel immediately bristled at that thought of waiting more than five minutes. She knew by the look on Finn's face that she likely wasn't getting a ride home from him, and inwardly stewed because of it. She hated when her plans didn't come to fruition. What was the point of planning, then? "But I can't wait an hour. My ballet lesson starts in thirty minutes, but I still have to go home and get my things. If I'm late, Ms. Ivanov is going to get mad and put me at the second barre!" Rachel lowered her voice, her eyes widening at Finn. "I CANNOT be put on the second barre. Misty Cunnings is on the second barre. MISTY CUNNINGS! She can't even do a proper piqué arabesque!"

Finn stared at Rachel's face with strained eyes, hoping to god he looked like he understood what she was saying. Resignedly, he sighed and hitched his bag up higher. "Yeah…that's bad…right?"

Rachel nodded in affirmation. "So how am I supposed to get home to change? You were supposed to drive me. I already missed the bus and my Dads can't come because they're at work."

Finn fidgeted from one foot to another, weighing out his options. An angry Rachel would be passive-aggressive hell for days, but an angry Coach would demote him and someone else would be team captain next year. He needed to be able to put captain on college applications. It showed leadership and initiative, the only things he had on his side to get him out of Lima. However, Finn had football camp to make it up to Coach. Rachel would be with him for a majority of their summer. "Well…I guess if I drove you home really quick, and you just grabbed your stuff and changed at the dance studio, I wouldn't be SUPER late and Coach might not be as mad. But he's going to ask why I'm late, and I'm going to tell him that I drove you home, and he's going to ask me why I couldn't have taken you home right after school, and I'm going to have to tell him that we had our last Glee meeting of the year, so everyone hung around for a while, and he's going to get SUPER pissed that I ditched him for Glee, and-"

"Oh for fuck's sake, Hudson." Finn and Rachel turned to the voice behind them and Finn's options became even more complicated. Puck walked the last few paces up to them, joining the conversation. "I can take the Berry home. I know where she lives."

Finn's eyebrows furrowed at the thought of it. Puck? Drive Rachel home? It shouldn't even be an option. The guy CLEARLY couldn't be trusted around other dude's girlfriends, much less the girl Finn was now talking to. The formerly mohawked boy had a history of knocking-up Finn's girlfriends and then helping them lie about it to everyone. It didn't help that the guy had a short lived history with Rachel too. This wasn't a good idea, he knew it. No way.

"Nah, it's cool man" Finn replied, trying to sound nonchalant. "I'll just take her home real quick to pick up her stuff and then drop her off. It's not a big deal."

"What about your meeting with Mr. Tanaka?" Rachel piped in. Finn set his jaw irritably and gazed down at the tiny girl between the two football players. "He's going to be mad at you and you don't want to loose the...football captain thing." Rachel looked back and forth between the two boys flanking her. "While I'm saddened that you have double-booked driving me home and meeting with a half-rate football coach, I understand that it is important to you. I'm sure Mr. Tanaka takes precedence at the moment." Finn opened his mouth to rebut, but was cut off. "It's an ideal solution. Noah?" the girl asked, turning to the more abrasive of the two. "Are you sure you can take me? That it's not an impediment to your afternoon?"

Puck squinted an eye at her. Did she always have to sound like a fucking dictionary? "Yeah…whatever…It's not far from my house anyway."

"See? It's simple. So, go on then. If you hurry up he might not be as irate."

"Are you sure about this, Rach?" Finn glanced at Puck's smirk and took a step closer. "I don't trust him. He…he's…well, he's Puck. You know how he is" he whispered.

"I'm well aware, Finn" Rachel replied with an amused smile. Actually, she was more than well aware that what Puck said and what he intended were two _very_ different things. She knew from when they'd had that shamble of a fling earlier in the year. No matter what he'd said, Puck's main priority had been getting into her panties. She'd successfully evaded him before, and she was more than capable now. "I'm sure I can manage."

Rachel grinned up at Finn with her million watt smile and motioned for him to bend down so she could quickly kiss him goodbye. Puck groaned in disgust and looked fixedly at the pathetically empty trophy case, the only one in the school NOT devoted to the Cheerios. Did Hudson really have to, like, eat her face right in front of him? The dude was so fucking clumsy it grossed him out. Bleh.

Rachel ran her hand down Finn's arm and clutched his hand. "Call me tonight? Around eight?"

"Yeah, sure."

"Perfect! I'll talk to you then. Have a good afternoon…hun!" With a grin and a flick of her deep brown hair Rachel was off. Puck moved to follow her, but found himself stopped by a long arm extended directly in his way.

"Don't even think about touching her" Finn warned, glaring at his former best friend. He may not have hated Puck as much as he used to, but the guy was far from being trusted again. Finn tolerated him, more than anything else, for the sake of letting his life run smoothly.

Puck stared at Finn, already bored with the conversation. "Yeah right. Dude, like I even want to get up on Berry. Been there, remember? Too much fuckin' crazy" Puck insisted.

"Yeah, well. Just don't." Puck half sneered, half smirked, and pushed past Finn to follow Rachel into the parking lot. Finn watched Puck's retreating back, shooting fiery glares of death at him until he disappeared around the outside of the building.

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><p><strong>Dum dum dummmmm. Duuude, we know Puck can't keep it in his pants! I think Rachel knows exactly what she's doing though. Her two gay dads taught her well. Chapter 2 should be up pretty soon!<strong>


	2. Bat Out of Hell

**A/N: Let's get right to it, shall we? Sah-weet!**

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><p>Once outside the school building Puck chuckled to himself. What an idiot. Like he wanted to get caught up in the Berry crazy again. He'd only managed a week, and that had been enough to last him for years. Although, he had to admit, Berry was a badass kisser, and she had a nice pair of legs going on. Her ass wasn't too bad either. A bit small, but not at all flabby. He spotted her halfway through the parking lot, bee-lining to his truck. She seemed to be speed walking, but for anyone that short a normal pace was practically sprinting. Puck easily matched her gait with his longer legs, watching as her hair and other female…assets bounced in her rush.<p>

Rachel paused only once to consider the current state of Puck's pickup. Knowing very little about car repair, Rachel could only deduce two things: it was old and it looked like a tank. She looked wearily at the mass of solid steel, part burnt orange, part primer gray, and sighed. "You're sure this is safe?"

Puck stopped short and looked at her, offended. "What are you trying to say, Berry?"

"I'm saying this looks like a death contraption."

"Oh, I'm sorry. The CLS is having a tune up. This is just my fall-back car." Rachel's face immediately reddened. "Yeah, I see that Mercedes your parents drive around. Not everyone can afford a eighty-thousand dollar car, you know."

"I…I didn't mean to suggest…" Rachel fumbled for polite words, but continued to stumble. She looked down at her pink floral flats in embarrassment. Her dads were lawyers, one dealing with ecological issues and the other with the arts. There was no way around it. Rachel's dads made money, and they lived at those means. They drove nice cars, they wore expensive suits, and they spoiled Rachel rotten. Her dads had the money to fly to New York during Rachel's breaks in school and indulge in her love of the arts. She'd been practically raised in theaters, museums, and studios. That was her life, but it took someone as blunt as Noah Puckerman to remind her that it wasn't the same for everyone.

Puck watched Rachel Berry literally bow her head in humility and couldn't help but be impressed. She actually cared that she thought she hurt his feelings. That was new. The old Rachel probably wouldn't have noticed. It said something to what she'd _really_ learned from Glee, Puck supposed. This time last year she would have continued to inadvertently suggest he was poor, never catching on. The point was, she _had_ noticed and _did_ care. Puck shook his head and broke out a small grin.

"Hey" he said, elbowing her arm, "I was kidding you, Berry. I know my truck looks like shit." Rachel looked up at him, one corner of her mouth turning up. "BUT, the point is it only _looks_ like shit. It runs just fine. I'm almost done fixing her up. She should be smokin' by the end of summer."

Rachel's chest puffed slightly with mirth. She liked this version of Puck, the nice one. See? He wasn't always an asshole, just most of the time. Still, though, she wondered why he was bothering being nice at all. True, she hadn't been slushied in months, and the only person who had dared to pick on her ended up with slashed tires, but still. She studied his smile, decided it was actually genuine, and relaxed. "Well, let's hope it won't literally be smoking."

"Oh ha ha Berry. Very funny." Puck rolled his eyes at her lame attempt at humor as he unlocked the passenger's side door. Rachel climbed into the truck, it being much higher than she expected, and closed the door with a slam. Puck followed suit. The minute Rachel's belt clicked the truck shot forward through the parking lot, ignoring any form of marked lane direction or stop sign. Rachel gasped and shrank back into her seat, clutching the door handle for dear life.

"I'd rather not die today, Noah."

"Oh chill out, Berry. There's no one even in the lot anymore" Puck retorted as he practically drifted his truck onto the main street next to the school. One look at the horror on Rachel's face and Puck knew he had to draw it out longer. Just to be an ass. Luckily, any oncoming cars were stopped at the red light behind them, leaving the street open for Noah to wreak havoc. Rachel squeaked in fear and clamped her eyes shut. She really didn't want to die a virgin…or unknown to her adoring public. As Puck's truck found a steady speed Rachel peaked out through one eye. They were cruising along the main stretch on the outskirts of town where the high school was located. Up ahead was the main intersection that attached what was generally seen as the high school's area to the rest of town. This intersection was the bane of existence on school days, clogging up in the half-hour before school began and again in the half-hour after school ended. Of course, the light was red. Rachel's one open eye widened as Puck neared the glowing red light of death at the same speed. Closer and closer it lurched and tenser and tenser Rachel's muscles wound. At the last minute Puck hit the breaks, bringing the truck to an abrupt halt. Rachel screeched. Puck looked down to find Rachel sunk low, breathing hard, but in one piece. "Seatbelt check."

Rachel scooted back up in her seat, her hair now disheveled and her clothes wrinkled. Her back shot up ramrod straight as adrenaline coursed through her veins. All at once she snapped. "WHAT IS THE MATTER WITH YOU _PUCK_?" She screamed, slapping him in the arm, which likely did nothing to him, but made her hand tingle. "DO YOU ALWAYS DRIVE LIKE A BAT OUT OF HELL? YOU COULD HAVE KILLED SOMEONE, MAINLY _ME_! I AM GOING TO SUE YOU! I AM GOING TO SUE YOU FOR ALL YOUR WORTH AND THEN I'M GOING TO TAKE YOUR TRUCK AND I AM GOING TO TRASH IT SO YOU CAN'T EVER GET IT BACK AND TERRORIZE ANOTHER LIVING THING IN IT. DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME? I. AM. GOING. TO. SUE. YOU."

Puck surveyed Rachel's infuriated face and tried not to laugh. He consoled himself with a horribly hidden snort. Rachel's eyes went from pissed to livid in half a second. "What is so funny?" Puck shook his head and looked out the driver's side window again. "WHAT?" Puck turned to Rachel, her eyes that much more intense than usual, and finally smirked. "…you fucking just shit your pants."

Rachel paused a minute to absorb Puck's nonchalant response, and then growled in hysteria again. "Are you KIDDING me?" Puck looked her in the eyes, smirk still in place, and started laughing, shaking the now still truck. Rachel stared, still pissed beyond belief. "Is this some kind of joke to you?" she seethed, to which Puck laughed even harder. "This is a joke to you? You…you're such an ASS, Noah!" Puck collapsed into the side of his truck, clutching his stomach as rolls of laughter filled the cab of his truck. Behind them a car honked. Puck slowly hit the gas, pushing his car forward at a normal speed and made a left to head into town. "You are clinically insane, did you know that? Why would you ever do something like that?"

Puck shrugged, still chuckling. "Thought it would be funny…WHICH IT WAS."

"Oh my god, Noah" Rachel sighed, burying her face in her hands. "I hate you. Every time I start to think you're an okay person you prove me wrong."

"Berry. Do you really think I would let you get hurt?"

Rachel looked up at Puck's face. By nature he was a malicious person, so yes, she did think so. But by his tone she guessed not. He _had_ stopped picking on her, and her skin had cleared up greatly because of it. "I don't know."

"Dude." Puck quickly looked at her, back at the road, and then back at her again. "My mom would kill me. You're the only good looking Jew at temple that even talks to me. All the other parents keep their daughters away from me…like, literally, but that's okay because they're all boring anyway and the ones I have hooked up with aren't repeat customers. So, yeah, you're the only one left that my mom approves of. She goes on and on about me 'dating' shiksas and shit. You're, like, the exact type of girl my mom _wants_ me to talk to. So you aren't allowed to get hurt by my hands. And anyway…you know…it would suck."

"What?"

"If you died…it would suck."

Rachel's jaw dropped slightly as she stared in confusion. She wasn't sure if this was Puck's way of being nice, but that's what she was guessing. "Um…thank you?"

"And anyway, I would get in a fuckin' shit load of trouble. Like, way worse than usual. I would never graduate and get out of this hick town. I'm already on probation for damaging state property (cherry bomb + mail box + postal office grounds = bad shit) so it's not like I'm gonna risk my ass."

Rachel just stared ahead, processing how she had managed to go from wanting to kill him to standing him again. It was the magic of Puck, she guessed. He had that affect on most women. Shame she had to fall under the spell as well. They sat in silence as he wove his way towards Rachel's house, the summer sun heating the truck to an uncomfortable degree. Puck's window was down, an elbow jutting out of it propped up his head as he drove. This time like a sane person. Rachel moved to roll down her window, but the crank stayed stationary. She gripped it again with two hands and pushed again, but it didn't move. "Noah?"

"Sup?"

"I think I'm melting in here." Puck looked over at her in confusion. Rachel pointed at the window crank by her thigh. "I tried to roll the window down but it doesn't move."

"Oh. It's kinda difficult." At a stop sign Puck reached over, leaning across her lap, and unstuck the window with one deft movement. "I haven't gotten to fix that yet. I'm trying to fix all the really important shit first."

"Like the window on your side?" Rachel queried, rolling down her window. As the breeze hit her hot skin she sighed in relief. Puck raised an eyebrow and smiled to himself.

"Something like that."

At the next sign Puck made a right into the housing development Rachel lived in and then a left onto her street. The driveway leading to the double garage sat empty, so Puck pulled up at an angle, taking up both spaces. Typical boy.

"Thanks. I'll be right back" Rachel said, carefully climbing back out of Puck's truck. The door closed with a loud, clanking slam. As she walked the path to the front door another door slammed shut. She looked over her shoulder to see Puck following her up the driveway. "You don't need to come in. I'll only be a moment."

"Yeah right. It's fucking hot out here."

Rachel bit her lip, but nodded and lead the way to her front door. Together they stepped in. It was exactly the same as the last time Puck had seen the inside of Rachel's house. Same open floor plan. Same polished wood flooring. Same set of comfortable looking chocolate brown suede couches, that expensive kind of comfortable looking that makes you jealous of it and not at the same time. A ginormous LED TV sat mounted in the center of the facing wall. Puck practically drooled every time he saw it. I was prime Monday Night Football territory and a kick ass gaming TV. Did they have any idea how awesome Call of Duty would look on that screen? Or Madden? Or Gears? The concept made him itch to hook up a 360 and try it out immediately.

Rachel passed the living room without a second glance and jogged up the stairs. "I'll be right down. Won't be more than a minute or two." Puck nodded and hopped up on the counter island, separating the kitchen from the living room. The refrigerator was covered with an assortment of those lame travel magnets. New York. Florida. England. Hawaii. They were those typical lame gifts you got from someone who clearly didn't know you all that well. Each held down different types of papers tight against the stainless steel door. A few were drawings Rachel did as a kid; a kitten, a family portrait, and…theater masks? Puck shook his head and tried not to grin. Rachel's dads really had started her training early on. On the opposing door was…Rachel's report card? Puck immediately hopped down from the counter and snatched the paper off the fridge. A…A…A-…A…how lame. Why bother even looking? Then, at the bottom of the list Puck saw something that made him smirk. Across from _Physical Education_ read a big fat _C_. Rachel Berry got a C in P.E.? That was the one class Puck ever excelled in…except when regular Biology turned into Sex Education. He'd excelled in Science that semester too.

Above his head Puck heard Rachel's bedroom door slam closed. Quickly he replaced the report card and hopped back up on the counter. Rachel came bounding down the stairs a few seconds later. Puck's eyes widened. Even though she wore yoga pants over her leotard, nothing was really left to the imagination. Like when girls wore lame one piece bathing suits, it didn't really matter. It was really obvious what they had too much or not enough of. It was common knowledge Rachel Berry had kinda small tits, but under that leotard they didn't look so small. They were proportional to the rest of her. He hadn't realized how small she really was, though. Her waist was absolutely tiny. Puck imagined the stretch of his hands and guessed that he could practically encircle her waist between the two. Rachel looked up to meet his eyes and saw him gawking, bringing a flush to her face.

"Let me guess. You're going to suggest I hit puberty soon, or ask if I am a Willy Wonka reject? I haven't heard a Lollipop Guild reference for a few years, but you never know when it's going to make a come back."

"No. I wasn't." _Actually, you look hot._

Rachel paused, but nodded appreciatively and plopped her small duffel bag on the counter. More than anything, it was surprising that Puck had _nothing_ negative to say about her. Rachel was used to the names and comments; hearing nothing was what truly got her attention, not that she would show it, though. "Would you like a bottle of water, Noah?" she asked as she slipped on a pink hoodie, leaving it unzipped.

"Yeah, thanks." Rachel went to the refrigerator and bent to retrieve two bottles of spring water. "So…a C in P.E., huh?"

Her movements ground to a halt and then resumed a second later. Slowly she spun around, closing the fridge door softly. "You looked at my report card, didn't you?"

"How does anyone get a C in P.E.?"

Rachel calmly set the waters down, but the sound of plastic crunching beneath her fingers said otherwise. "They had me in softball." Her tone gave away enough of her thoughts on the topic. It was as if the subject needed no further explanation. Puck was not having it.

"So?"

She unconsciously sucked her bottom lip between her teeth and bit down. There was no point in lying, she supposed. "I didn't meet the requirements of the course."

"Which were…"

Rachel crossed her arms over her chest, uncomfortable with sharing _any_ knowledge of her faults. If it had been any other person, any other boy, sitting on her kitchen counter, she would have exaggerated the truth so much that she ended up the victim of the evil hierarchy that is high school sports. This was Noah Puckerman, however. He was brutally blunt with his truths and opinions. It was only fair, she reasoned, that she was straightforward with him. Plus, she suspected he would be able to smell her lies from miles away. "I had to make it to first base at least once." Puck opened his mouth to say something crude about having already been there and done that with her. Realizing two seconds too late that she'd set herself up for a "Puck witticism" Rachel did the next best thing and beat him to it. "_You know what I mean, Noah._ Don't be disgusting." Puck only smirked, his left dimple making itself apparent. "They said I had to hit the ball and make it to first base at least once during the softball section to pass the course."

"So I assume you fucked up, right?"

"No. I finally did it."

"So why the C?"

"Because it took me thirty tries."

"WHAT?"

"On the last day my teacher told me I was going to fail if I didn't hit the ball at least once. So she made me stand there at the plate and swing until I hit the ball."

"…it took you _thirty_ tries to hit a _softball_?"

"I never claimed to be good at sports."

"But you're…like…fit and crap."

"I dance and I use an elliptical. I don't play recreational sports. I find them barbaric."

"That is just retarded."

"Don't say retarded, Noah. It isn't politically correct."

"I don't give a shit."

Rachel sighed. "I know you don't, which is the saddest part." Rachel cracked open her water bottle and took a swig. "As much as I would like to continue this _brilliant_ chat, we need to get going if I'm going to be on time."

Nodding his head in agreement, Puck hopped off the counter. The ride to the studio was less eventful; Puck didn't speed down the road nor did he intentionally swerve to scare Rachel. In other words, it was a normal car ride. When they arrived at the studio stragglers were filing in through the glass doors. Puck watched the lithe ballerinas pass by his truck. Some caught his eye and smiled, some blushed and scurried inside. Those were the virgins, Puck just knew, and it intrigued him even more than the slutty girls that winked.

"Well, thank you for the ride, Noah. Even if I did almost die in the process."

"You did not almost die" he corrected, ignoring the other girls and concentrating on her. "Do you need me to pick you up, too?"

"I don't think so. My dad usually gets me."

"Well, you know my number if you get stuck."

"I doubt that will happen, but thanks."

"Later, Berry." Rachel smiled a goodbye and eased herself down from the truck. Puck sat in the lot idling and watched as Rachel hurried into the building, her back ramrod straight to fit in with the other girls. She was in a huff as she entered the mirrored dance room. She was _always_ the first to arrive, but not today because of Noah's stupidity. With a defeated shrug she took a spot at the side of the room. The boy next to her rolled is eyes at her dramatic mood and continued with his stretches. _Just wonderful_ Rachel thought to herself. She didn't want to be deal with this today. Plastering on a smile she turned to the boy and spoke.

"Hello, Kurt." 


	3. Emotionally Limp Dick

Rachel was in a huff as she entered the mirrored dance room. She was _always_ the first to arrive, but not today because of Noah's stupidity. With a defeated shrug she took a spot at the side of the room. The boy next to her rolled is eyes at her dramatic mood and continued with his stretches. _Just wonderful_ Rachel thought to herself. She didn't want to be deal with this today. Plastering on a smile she turned to the boy and spoke.

"Hello, Kurt."

"Rachel" he nodded, adjusting his head band. Rachel watched the calculated movement and wondered why he bothered. Not to get her wrong, though. She was well aware of the importance of costume in making a statement, but now of all times? Being here was about _ballet_ not _Jazzercise_. "Don't bother with the stage smile, princess. I'm as happy about this arrangement as you are."

"I thought we were on amicable terms, Kurt" she said, taken aback by his bluntness.

"We are, but that doesn't mean I'm not going to call you out on your hypocrisy. I know that if you stand there today, I'm going to hear incessant comments from you on my stance, or stretch, or choices." Rachel sighed and stretched her other leg. "So don't smile if it's not real."

"Fair enough."

"So why did you arrive fashionably late in _Puck's_ car? A romantic tête-à-tête perhaps? Need I remind you of what happened last time you spent time alone with him?"

"No-"

"Jesse, that traitorous thing you called a boyfriend, broke up with you because he got jealous. Don't do it again."

"Are you actually advising me on how to _not_ lose Finn?"

"I'm telling you to recognize your patterns. You lose Finn ALL THE TIME, and I'd rather he date you than someone with more social stock. It's easier competition."

Rachel sighed at the boy, somewhat sympathetic for him. "I am not having this argument with you again."

"Fine. But I'm warning you. Puck is bad news."

* * *

><p>About two seconds after dropping Rachel off Puck found himself bored. Instinctively he sent a text to Santana.<p>

_Hey. wat r u doing?_

Without waiting for a response he made an abrupt left and headed toward the rich part of Lima where Santana lived. A few minutes later his phone chirped with a response.

_Getting ready._

_4 wat_

_You're so lazy. Your phone totally has a keyboard._

_So wat? wat r u getting ready 4_

_Going out w/Matt later._

_Im coming over_

_I'm not fucking you, Puckerman_

_Wasnt asking u 2. jus bored_

_Whatever. Txt me when you're here._

Within ten minutes Puck was parked outside Santana's house. It was a giant ass house because her dad fixed people. He was the man behind nearly every set of fake tits and new noses in the state. That was why he had a practice in Columbus AND Cincinnati. It was also why he was only home Friday through Sunday. The man spoiled his children instead of being there for them. Puck had a feeling that was why Santana was so cold to people. She didn't know how to love and be kind at the same time. Except for a few special people, Puck included, Santana was distant and rude to everyone.

Santana was at the door quickly and hurried Puck upstairs into her room. Her parents weren't fond of him, so Puck was used to sneaking in. Comfortable after many afternoons and nights spent there, Puck made himself at home. He sprawled out horizontally across Santana's bed while she sat on the floor in front of her full length mirror and continued to straighten her hair. Puck immediately inspected her side table and under her bed for contraband. He found the gin tucked up in her bed frame while exploring by the light of his cell phone. The swig he took didn't go down easily. It burned all the way to his stomach, a sign that it was cheap. But cheap was all kids ever had, so he shrugged and took another sip before replacing it behind the lip of wood under the ebony frame. The nightstand next to his head housed an assortment of hair ties, loose change, condoms, and a neon blue dildo. He reached for the sex toy and, with a flourish, waved it around like a cowboy would a lasso.

"Put it back, Puck" Santana ordered without so much as a flinch. She turned her head from side to side, admiring her handiwork and separated out a piece that needed another run through the straightener.

"Dunno why you have this. You can get laid whenever you want."

"Maybe I get tired of clueless teenaged boys who don't know what the hell they're doing, much less where my clit is" she snapped testily. Satisfied with her hair, the Latina moved to apply her mascara.

"You're just used to messing around with Britt. She knows EXACTLY where your clit is" Puck noted, not really concerned with his words. It was true, anyway. That didn't stop Santana from giving him the look of death. Puck rolled his eyes and added to his statement, correcting any party-foul he'd committed. "Like you bother with teenagers anymore, anyway."

Santana leaned away from the mirror and waved her hands at her eyelashes, wishing them dry after the second coat. "For your information, I've been totally monogamous lately."

"Shut the fuck up! You haven't cheated yet?"

"Once a couple of months ago, but that was with you, so it doesn't count."

"Since when do I not count?"

"Since we started hooking up without even caring about it. Like, there's sex with you and sex with anyone else. I dunno, but it's like fucking you doesn't count. Besides, we don't even screw anymore."

"I count…." Puck flailed the dildo unconsciously, frowning at it.

Spying his face in the mirror, Santana spun around on her ass, now spreading lotion over her legs. Puck didn't even notice things like that anymore. She could be walking around in her bra and panties and he wouldn't have a second thought about it. "What's up your butt?" she asked, not liking this strange Puck; one who cared about her catty comments.

"Nothing" he said indignantly, un-suctioning the base of the dildo from the wall he'd stuck it to and throwing it back in the drawer.

"Now I have to sterilize that. Thanks." Santana studied his angsty face and tipped her head in pity. Oooh…he was in deep. "That's what you get for crushing on the musical dwarf. You go all…emotionally limp dick."

"Shut the fuck up, Lopez. I'm not crushing on _anyone_."

"Right…you were totally staring at Rachel in Glee."

"I was watching how she was clinging to Hudson like some needy retard."

"Jealous."

"Not jealous, don't care, so drop it."

Santana stared at him for a long minute – during which Puck felt more and more insecure – before standing and throwing open the folding door of her closet. "What do I wear?"

"Are you trying to get laid?" he asked, eager for the change of subject.

"Mmm…not looking for it, but whatever happens, happens…it'll probably happen anyway."

"Options?"

"…this skirt…with this tank…or these shorts…with this shirt." Santana held up the two outfits at him to decide on.

"Trade the tank with the shirt."

"Really?" she queried, rearranging the hangers in her hands to get a better idea.

"Yup. Fucking hot. I would wanna tap it."

"Sweet." As predicted, Santana stripped down in front of him and slipped on the clothing. Puck wasn't fazed in the least by the tanned, teenaged flesh. Okay…maybe he was a little agog, but nothing big. It wasn't like he popped a tent or anything.

As Santana tugged on her miniscule skirt Puck stared up at the ceiling and wondered just how he'd gotten where he was. There was a half naked cheerleader five feet away, a bottle of gin under the bed, and probably weed hidden somewhere: all prime ingredients for a really badass time, and Puck didn't really care. Any other dude would kill to be in his position. Santana Lopez was probably _the_ hottest girl in school at the moment; getting a chance to drill that would immediately up any dude's badassery in a millisecond. But Puck had already been there dozens of times. Screwing Santana Lopez was so much of a given that he didn't really have any interest anymore. It was too simple. If he _really_ wanted it, he could have her pealing off her panties and pushing her skirt up around her waist in no time. Where was the challenge in that? It was a weird ass feeling, being real friends with a girl.

Puck hung around for the rest of the afternoon. While he remained sprawled out, watching the tail end of Shawshank Redemption, Santana filled her time initiating Facebook drama and messaging Brittany. It was kind of like being with his sister, just an older, hotter, dirty sister.

As Andy Dufrense was placed in solitary confinement for calling the warden obtuse, Puck's cell phone beeped. The name of the sender on the screen made his eyebrows furrow.

"Hey, I gotta go" he announced, sliding his legs over the edge of the bed. Santana twisted in her seat to respond.

"Who is it?"

"Um…" Puck replied, hopping on one foot as he slid the other into his Chuck. "My mom."

"Your mom…right" she said with a scoff. "Ms. Perfect summoning you?"

"Nope" Puck insisted, shaking his head as he slipped on his other shoe.

"Yeah right!" she cackled as Puck flipped her off and nodded a farewell. "WHIPPED!"

* * *

><p>"This cannot be happening" Rachel Berry muttered to herself. She sat on the cement wall outside the dance studio, alone. Luckily, it was summer, so at least she wasn't sitting alone in the dark. By that time she should have been home, or with Finn, or somewhere else entirely, not stranded in a stupid parking lot. Her dad had left her a voice mail during practice. He wasn't going to make it because the trial was still in session; they were only on a half hour break. Her other dad, the one who didn't usually have dance pick-up duties, was in a meeting with a client. Something about copyright infringement. Finn's phone had gone straight to voice mail, which meant it had probably died in his pocket. Again. If Rachel hadn't been opposed to swearing, as it was an unsophisticated means of expressing emotion, she would have growled the word "fuck" in frustration. As it was, she bit her lip and only thought angry things.<p>

With every muscle in her body trying to defy her, Rachel withdrew her phone from her jacket pocket and sent Puck a pitiful text.

_Noah? I need your help_

Puck answered within seconds

_Knew u missed me berry_

_ As much as this pains me, I need to ask you for another favor._

_ Wat is it?_

_ Can you pick me up after all? Please? My dad bailed on me and no one is answering my calls._

_ No problemo. b there soon_

_ Thanks._

Grimacing, Rachel put her phone back in her pocket and waited. Almost patiently. This could not be happening. She'd been rid of him not more than two hours ago. Had Rachel been a Christian, she would have considered this turn of events as Providence. Luckily she wasn't, so she chalked her situation up to coincidence. Puck came barreling into the lot minutes later. Instead of waiting in the truck for her, he jumped out and met her at the sidewalk.

"Lemme jus say now that I'm sorry."

"What have you done now?"

"My sister…" Rachel's gaze drifted to the cab of the truck. Just visible above the dash were two incredibly round eyes. They flashed with surprise upon meeting Rachel's and ducked down. "My mom asked me to watch the monster a little while ago, then you called. I can't leave her alone because she tends to destroy things. So, she had to come with me."

"It's fine" Rachel assured him. "I've seen her in temple sitting with your mom. She's cute."

"She's a monster."

"Noah…" Rachel sighed.

"What? You'll see."

Puck hopped into his seat first as Rachel took her time clamoring up. Settling into the cracked leather, she caught the tail end of "…don't be a fucking spaz" coming from Puck's mouth. She shot Puck a look of scorn. Was he not aware they were amongst a child? Despite having just been sworn at, the girl huddled closer to Puck as Rachel situated herself. She was a strange creature; wide-eyed and curious, not unlike Rachel, but with a sense of fear mixed in. It was as if she feared attention, which was something Rachel Berry just did not understand.

"Hello" Rachel said in a soft voice that she hoped came off as approachable. "Do you remember me? We go to the same synagogue. I'm Rachel. What's your name?"

The girl remained quiet, alternately trying to be invisible and sneaking glances at the older girl next to her. Except for Quinn, she had never met any of Noah's girlfriends. Quinn had been nice, but pretty much kept to herself. She'd never really been comfortable in the Puckerman household. Sometimes Quinn would play games with her when Noah was being a real jerk and didn't want to. Mostly, though, Quinn had been her tutor on the concept of "girl things." She'd taught her how to apply makeup and not look "obvious" as well as how to curl her hair and not look too "Shirley Temple." There were lessons in proper eyeliner application and in choosing complementary shades for her skin tone. Apparently, these were "rudimentary" skills she would need to know one day, whatever that meant. She just liked being around Quinn. She was a big girl, a girl that knew things. Her mother thought Quinn knew too many things, but she was so nice that it was impossible to understand what that would mean. Quinn had moved out, though. Mostly because it was hard for her to live with Noah. Noah had gotten Quinn pregnant, that much the little girl knew, but her ten year old mind didn't grasp the concept that there was far more to the story than having a baby. She had no way of understanding the topple Quinn had taken, from queen bee to a disgrace in nine months. She didn't get why Quinn and Noah fought all the time. The terms "cheated" and "your responsibility" had no real importance to the young girl yet. Now Quinn was gone. She rarely saw Puck's sister anymore and the 10 year old missed the camaraderie of having another girl around. Maybe this "Rachel" would be good at girl stuff too.

Rachel waited patiently for the little girl to speak, but nothing came out. She cast a concerned look at Puck. "Can she hear?" she mouthed. Puck nudged an elbow into his sister's side. The girl looked up.

"Well?" he urged. The girl seemed confused. "Are you gonna answer her, Punk?"

The child furrowed her eyebrows somewhat angrily. "You told me not to talk because I'm a spaz."

"No. I said don't _be_ a spaz, which you're now acting like."

"Well, you need to make up your mind."

"You need to fucking listen more."

"Noah! Stop cussing at her!" Rachel demanded; it went ignored.

"_You_ need to stop being a stupid jerk." Apparently, the girl had also learned to defend herself early in life. _She_ wasn't afraid of Noah Puckerman.

"Just tell her your name, Spaz."

The girl turned to Rachel, finally remembering that she was sitting there. Immediately she retreated. "Deh…"

"Excuse me?"

"Delilah."

"Delilah? That's a pretty name. Well hello, Delilah. You know, there's a really nice song about a Delilah."

"Yeah…I know" she replied, glaring at Puck with scorn. "Noah sings it at me to tease me."

"He plays for you? Noah, that's so cute."

"It's not cute" Delilah insisted.

"Shut up" Puck snapped. Maybe they did have similar genes.

Without waiting to be asked Puck headed straight to Rachel's house. He had every intention of just dropping Berry off, but the Spaz was having a fit about not wanting to pee her pants, so Rachel let them all in, again, and pointed Delilah in the direction of the downstairs bathroom. Once again, Puck settled himself on the bar countertop that separated the kitchen and living room.

"You shouldn't swear in front of her, Noah."

"Dude. I call EVERYONE on their shit. Including her."

"She's ten!"

"She's a spaz!"

"You could be a little nicer, you know. She's your _sister_. What if some little kid at her school was cussing at her and calling her names?"

"I'd scare the shit out of him."

"So then why do _you_ treat her that way?"

"Because she's my sister. Duh."

Rachel Berry sighed and slumped into the barstool next to Puck's leg. There were so many things about the Puckerman kids that she couldn't understand, most of the trouble being with Puck. He was kind, but then he was a jerk. He mocked his sister to no avail, but let her use him as a human scrim around strangers, like Rachel. She didn't understand how he could be so mean to Delilah. She was his _sister_. Wasn't there a code or something? An unwritten one that told siblings how to treat each other? Being an only child, the complexities of sibling relationships would be something Rachel would never understand.

The Puckermans left shortly. Delilah had to be home early and Puck swore his mother would kick his ass if he wasn't there when she was. Through the ornate oval glass in the door, Rachel noticed Puck kick his left leg behind him and swing it up to the right, swatting Delilah in the butt. The little girl fruitlessly pushed Puck's arm before trying the move herself and failing. Puck threw his head back with a laugh and mussed his sister's hair. The sweetness of the moment made Rachel grin, but the meaning confused her. She would _never_ understand the Puckerman kids.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Santana speaks! I'm sorry, but I absolutely adore her. She is by far my favorite because her snarky attitude is capable of so much. Expect more PuckSantana interaction in the future because I imagine their two egos would balance each other out, rendering them capable of friendship. You know how there was always that one girl in school that was only friends with the boys? She sat with them at lunch, joked around with them in class, and hung out with them on the weekend. They accepted her bluntness because she knew how to chill like a bro. That girl is so Santana...with the exception being Brittany of course.**


	4. Gravity

**Hey, so I don't want any of ya'll to be upset about where this story is headed. The description is just to tease, considering I know fully well what's going to happen. I would never try to fuck over fellow Puckleberry fans! I swear and stuff. That would be blasphemy! Oh, and Finchel is gross. IMO, the only relationship that Finn should be in is with his hand. OH SNAP! Yuuup. Neversonbabies just went there. :P**

**And so I present to you lovies...da da dummmmm...Chapter 4!**

* * *

><p>After that first day Puck and Rachel were friends of a sort. They chatted often, generally via text message, about everything and nothing at the same time. To say Finn was royally pissed when he first found out who his girlfriend was always talking to was an understatement. He was livid. <em>Puck is manipulative. He's going to mess with your head. He's really good at being nice to girls until he uses them. Tell him to back the hell off. If he fucks with you, I'll kill him.<em> Rachel didn't tell Finn about what "Noah said" anymore. She didn't tell him that Noah was quitting Sheets n' Things because the pool business made him more money. She didn't tell him that Noah's Party of the Summer wasn't going to happen because his mom had found the receipt for the beer kegs and had put him on house arrest for a week. Nevermind the fact that he had a receipt at all or that it was written in colored pencil. Rachel let her (now) boyfriend and everyone else think Puck had been caught stealing the kegs and gotten arrested (a Puck fabrication). She certainly didn't tell Finn that sometimes, when he was working during the day, she was hanging out with Noah. It was just easier that way. Finn would ask her, if not tell her, to stop simply because he didn't like it. What Finn had a hard time understanding was that Rachel Berry had a hard time making friends. Actually, she didn't have any, so having Puck on her side was a much needed alliance she didn't want to give up.

Sometimes she could be found at the Puckerman house, but that was borderline inappropriate when it came to her relationship with Finn. That, by the way, was running a steady pace. It wasn't the sweeping romance she'd day dreamed about, but steady was better than rocky she supposed. Rachel didn't tell Puck about that. She had the feeling he would gloat about the lack of excitement in her relationship. Actually, she had a feeling he was inwardly gloating about the time she spent talking to him, period. Anything that irritated Finn was something Puck now enjoyed. Meeting Puck at 7 o'clock at his house was something Finn would certainly be pissed about. Luckily Rachel's boyfriend was working until closing.

Puck had lured her to his house with the excuse that he wanted to practice his duets so he would be prepared for Glee Club next year. Rachel completely fell for it. Any invitation to practice her craft with another talented singer was a welcome opportunity. Rachel drove at Puck's house with a tote bag full of sheet music, eager to get started. Immediately she was let down. She arrived at a home that seemed to be void of occupants. After knocking LOUDLY three times she finally called Puck's cell phone. Through the screaming and general noise on his side of the call, Puck said he would be right there. Before she could even hang up the phone the door opened. Puck stood before her in a pair of mesh basketball shorts that reached his knees and a white wife beater. The house was dark. A single glowing porch light lit him severely, making dark, sharp lines around the muscles in his arms and shoulders. Rachel tried to ignore it.

"Um…did you forget that…um…we're supposed to practice."

"Yeah. That's kinda why I called you."

"Oh. It's just that you sounded busy and-"

"Just come in already. I'm gonna miss the best part."

"Wha…"

Puck disappeared into the empty house without a second glance. Rachel was left to let herself in and follow the sound of a TV blaring somewhere in the darkness. She found both Puck and his sister sunken deep into a couch watching a blue-lit TV screen. They seemed to be watching a horror movie, a fact affirmed by a clichéd masked killer chasing a woman with a bouncing chest across the screen. Conveniently, her blouse was a button up, so that when the killer snatched at her back, her shirt ripped open exposing bare breasts. Rachel immediately went to cover Delilah's eyes. The child pushed Rachel's hands away and continued to watch the bloody scene of the big breasted woman's demise.

"What are you watching?" Rachel crowed, disgusted by both the scene and Puck's disregard for the age of his sister.

"The Bloody and the Beautiful. It's almost over."

"It's On Demand!" Delilah added, obviously pleased with the movie of choice. Rachel had the feeling she was always going to be mothering the two sitting on the couch.

"I'm sure your mother would be pleased to see what you're letting your sister watch, Noah."

"Shhh! You can yell at me later!" Puck waved her toward him, not taking his eyes off the television screen. Seeing as how her righteousness would never sink into this boy, Rachel perched on the arm rest of the couch to wait out the movie. Ten minutes later she unconsciously sank down over the arm rest and settled in next to Puck. She was engrossed in the horrible acting, cheesy dialogue, and predictable outcome. Regardless, each time someone jumped out of nowhere she too jumped. Puck laughed at her every time. Towards the end of the movie, the heroine, a brunette (guess it) virgin, was slowly pacing down the hallway that lead to the room that the killer had just dragged her would be boyfriend into. Shadows played with the eyes, making them see things that weren't there. The music dulled to a deep pulsating sound, matching Rachel's heartbeat. Slowly the girl inched forward, tears staining her perfectly smooth face. Behind the door a muffled scraping sound echoed down the hall. The girl gripped the crowbar in her hand tighter. For only a moment she pinched her eyes shut. The fear she must have been feeling. No. More than fear. Pure horror. A chill ran up Rachel's spine. Slinking to one side of the door frame, the girl reached out, pushed the door open, and then slammed back against the safety of the wall. Nothing. Her breathing hastened. So did Rachel's. Practically weeping, the poor girl peered around the door frame. Her face was streaked with dried blood and sweat. WHAM! A blunt object sailed forward, clocking the girl in the head. Blood poured from the gash now decorating her forehead as she staggered back. Rachel screamed before the girl did, diving into the space between the upholstery of the couch and Puck. She felt him put a hand on her shoulder.

"It's not real, you know" he chuckled.

"I knoo thaa" Rachel replied, muffled by the cushion. After a moment she came up for air, her hair frazzled around her hairline. "This is why I don't watch scary movies. I don't deal well with the suspense." Rachel semi-hid for the remainder of the movie. The brunette nearly died from the head trauma, but she tricked the killer, who just happened to be her would-be boyfriend's brother, into a well that she then sealed. Don't ask how it was done because Rachel didn't see. Finally the sound of the movie trailer music morphed into the inane prompts made by the On Demand host; someone flicked the lights on. Only then did Rachel truly come out of hiding. Delilah was already jumping around, moving on to the next thrill. Her mother wasn't supposed to be home until 12:30. There was plenty of time to do more taboo things. Rachel hated to admit Puck was right, but his sister was a little hyperactive, even for a child. Although it wasn't exactly accurate to label her a spaz, the moniker was fairly close. She was an eager, cute spaz, though, that had warmed to Rachel after a few social calls.

"What next?" Delilah exclaimed. "Another one?"

"NO!" Rachel admonished. "No more scary movies. Can't we find something a little more peaceful to do?"

"Rach and I have to practice, anyway, Squirt. That's why she's here."

"Lame! If you guys are gonna be boring I'm outta here."

"Outta here as in staying in the house." Puck didn't end the sentence as a question. It was a command. Delilah rolled her eyes and bounded out of the room.

"I'm gonna play Left 4 Dead."

"Not on MY Xbox, you're not. Dibbs!"

"Noouhhhhh" she whined. "You won't even be using it."

"But I AM going to be in my room and that's where it is. And NO you are not going to move it to your room for now."

"You suck!"

"So fuggin' what? You have a Wii in your room. Go play that."

"But-"

"Scram Mutant!"

"Shit Head!" Puck widened his eyes and stomped once at Delilah. That sent the girl half screaming, half giggling upstairs. Rachel didn't even bother correcting them anymore. Delilah was going to end up with Puck's mouth no matter what Rachel said or did. So let it be. Puck smirked at his handiwork and turned to Rachel.

"C'mon." Puck took a hold of Rachel's forearm and pulled her upstairs and into his room. Rachel's only rule about ever being in Puck's room was that the door had to always be open. He lived at the top of the steps where everyone had to pass to go to any of the other rooms on the top floor. An open door ensured no funny business. Upon entering Puck launched himself onto his bed and reached for something on the other side that Rachel couldn't see. She'd learned that Puck somehow always sprawled out onto the nearest cushioned surface, no matter where he was. If none were available, he would then pick the highest spot and sprawl out on that. For someone so trim, he managed to take up a lot of space. As she set her things down and settled herself in the desk chair, Puck retrieved his guitar and plucked at a few strings to check the tune.

"So I thought we could try Lady Antebellum, but if you really hate that, which I assume you will, the Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat duet 'Lucky' is a good choice…"

"I'm not playing a chick song, Berry."

"I like those songs!"

"Yeah, you and every other girl between the ages of 10 and 26. Pick something badass."

"Well why don't you play something, then, if you are so concerned with being a 'badass'."

"Like what?" Puck plucked at the strings of his acoustic, not really playing anything.

"You could pull off John Mayer, I bet." Puck snapped his head up and squinted his eyes. "He's a badass…kind of. More like a racist jerk. Anyway, he's REALLY talented. You should try. I may have the music for _Gravity_ in here somewhere…" If it hadn't been for the pink tingeing Puck's ears, Rachel wouldn't have noticed that he was slightly embarrassed. A devious grin spread across her face. "Unless, of course, you already know how to play that one."

"Nope."

"You are such a liar, Noah Puckerman! Do you really know it already? Play it!"

"Fuck off."

"Not until you play _Gravity_ for me."

"No fucking way."

"Pleeease Noah?" Rachel scurried across the room and perched next to him on his bed. She didn't seem to notice how she was breaking her own rules. That was the magic of music on Rachel Berry. It could almost make her do anything. Puck swallowed hard, pushing down the sudden urge to do something stupid. "Please? I'll sing it with you."

Puck wanted to say no. To tell her he wasn't going to play some pansy John Mayer song, but she wanted it so damn bad. She looked so thrilled that he could play something she even liked. He knew the song by heart, chord for chord. The lyrics were cake. He could do that song in his sleep. If it had been anyone else sitting there Puck would have flipped them off and then crashed into some aggressive, angry song. But this was Rachel Berry and she was always patient and kind with him. She put up with his asshole ways and freaky sister and STILL wanted to be his friend. He didn't have very many friends that were willing to put up with his shit. Since Berry stuck around despite his usual jerk moves, he found he used them less often with her. Like…she'd passed a test or something. He hadn't been intentionally testing her or any shit like that, but that's what ended up happening and she was still there. It wouldn't hurt to just do it this once for her. Just this once. …God, he was turning into such a bitch.

Grimacing Puck pulled the pick out from between his lips and strummed a few warm up chords. Rachel grinned and actually said the word "yay" before settling back against the wall. Who actually said "yay" in response to anything? From there Puck launched into the song. The opening part had always been his favorite. It was slow and cool, like John Mayer just knew he was a badass and could play it cool and still sound awesome. It had soul.

From the first "gravity" Rachel knew this was going to be a different kind of Noah she hadn't seen before. For a majority of the song his eyes remained closed. It was like he wanted to feel the words so bad that he had to close his eyes to concentrate to make them mean something. Rachel did that a lot too. The first thing she thought when she heard him sing was that Noah should try to do more solos in Glee Club. Clearly, the few he'd ever attempted were not just flukes. He was good when he cared. Rachel closed her eyes to absorb the beauty of the music as Puck opened his. He grinned to see Rachel swaying.

He had to admit, he was impressed with himself. It was good to get to play for an audience, even if that audience was just little Rachel Berry, in an unusually casual pair of denim shorts. Of course, she couldn't let go of her signature knee socks; they were over the knee baseball style with yellow stripes at the tops. _You know, she really is kinda pretty. Maybe simple isn't such a bad thing for her, after all. _Puck dove deeper into feeling the song. Might as well go for it. Go big or go home, right?

_Gravity_

_Stay the hell away from me_

_Gravity_

_Has taken better men than me_

_How can that be?_

By the end he was letting the slight rasp in his voice take more control of the song, giving it something of him. Puck didn't see Rachel's eyes pop open in surprise. When he launched into the final lines Rachel was floored. She'd had no idea that Puck could feel that much, care that much. It kind of scared her. Not because it was bad, but because it was something she identified with, and not many people showed the same passion. This Puck was so absorbed in what he was doing that he forgot to care about what people were seeing. It was beautiful.

And inappropriate to analyze his face so deeply. To be polite, Rachel waited for him to finish the song before moving back to her seat at the desk. Puck seemed a little relieved too by the distance. All the awkwardness couldn't hide her pride for him, though. She tried to smother him with praise, but Puck's usual cool demeanor meant the compliments slid off. Some of it stuck, though. She could see it in his smile. It wasn't a smirk, but a smile, and Puck rarely showed one of those.

Something in her eyes had changed. He could tell. It was the same Rachel sitting there, encouraging him to keep playing while correcting every single friggin' mistake he'd made, but the look of her eyes was different. They weren't as _in_different, he should say. When she looked at his face now, she was really looking at it. Searching it for something he couldn't identify. His stomach tightened up of it's own accord. He wanted her to find it…but that was a really bad sign.

Puck cleared his throat, breaking the magic of song, and self consciously scratched the back of his head. Rachel did something similar. Anything to distract herself from what had just happened. It had only been a fleeting thought, but even considering that Puck was somehow attractive was a VERY bad road to travel down. Better to turn around before things became too difficult. Rachel half heartedly shuffled through the folders of sheet music she'd shoved into her tote bag when her ears picked out a few off-key strains of Cabaret wafting from somewhere in the house. She perked up immediately. Even if the singing was horrible, somewhere in the house was Cabaret, and that was just outstanding. And a great way to change the subject. Rachel immediately stood and wandered towards the hallway. Puck called after her, glad for the distraction too. That much they were agreed on, whether the other knew it or not.

"That's just the Spaz. She got this stupid dancing game and she's been practicing all week. It's fucking lame."

"That's Cabaret!" Rachel ducked her head out the door and looked down the hall towards Delilah's room. "She's playing Cabaret!"

"Yeah…it's really weird music. It's like…well, it's stuff you would know."

"It's all musicals?"

"I guess so."

"Omigod!" Rachel marched from the room in a blur of yellow and floral perfume. Puck followed behind. Not wanting to disturb Delilah, Rachel cracked the door enough for her to stick her head in and spy. On the screen were four poorly animated characters. They were all doing the same jerky movements and Delilah was copying them, a white stick in her hand. Rachel was mesmerized. If she'd known that video games could involve Broadway, she would have purchased a gaming console years ago.

Delilah danced her way through the rest of the song and upon seeing her excellent rating cheered to herself.

"Can I try?" Rachel asked, bounding into the room. Delilah seemed pleased that someone else wanted to play with her at all.

"Yeah! Here, take this!" The little girl shoved a second white controller in Rachel's hand and ordered her to hit a button labeled 'A' so she would sync into the game. "We'll play one of the easier ones together because you've never played before. All you have to do is copy what they are doing on the screen."

"You don't have to pick an easy one" Rachel suggested, smirking a little cockily. Puck just shook his head and watched the scene unfold. "I've been dancing since I was two. Put it on whatever level you play at."

Delilah raised an eyebrow. Rachel was caught off guard by how much she was like Noah in doing so. "Um…I dunno if you want to do that…"

"Well, what songs are there?" Delilah moved her arm around, controlling a pointer finger on screen, and scanned through the song options. Rachel jumped excitedly at All That Jazz and insisted they play that one. "Oh I love this one. I've seen it live, you know. I know this by heart!" Rachel grinned to herself and began channeling Velma Kelly. Delilah peaked at Puck; the two shared an amused smile.

Rachel was immediately lost once the song started. They weren't doing the real choreography and the singing was horrible. So horrible, in fact, that she lost her place and became disoriented. Delilah, on the other hand, was flourishing in the game. She followed the incorrect dance steps without hesitation and ignored the words entirely. Annoyed that anyone dare butcher Chicago, Rachel began belting out the song herself. At least that made Delilah lose concentration. No one stayed on task when Rachel sang. It was a given.

Puck smirked as he watched Rachel fail miserably at keeping up with the characters on screen. She was too experienced and loyal to Broadway to accept that the game would not follow the real dance moves or pitch of the song. She tried, though, which was kind of adorable. She was failing miserably, but determinedly cute. Arms flailing in the wrong direction, Rachel gave up dancing entirely and just sang the song as Delilah danced to the end. That way they made a good team. Not that Rachel was gaining any points in the process. At least, not game points.

When the song came to the end Delilah finished with a grand flourish and Rachel with a held, pitch-perfect note.

"You sing really good" Delilah complemented, breathing a tiny bit hard. Really, to win, all you had to do was move your right arm around. Delilah went for it full force.

"Thanks" Rachel smiled

"Don't egg her on" Puck added, still in the doorway. "She hears it all the time. Now she'll NEVER stop with the singing."

"You shouldn't stop" Delilah said seriously to Rachel. "You're super good. Noah's just jealous because he's not as good as you."

"HEY!"

"Now, now, Noah." Rachel smirked. "Don't worry Delilah. He hears it all the time. It's not a shock." Rachel screeched as Puck rushed forward to silence her. She warded him off with an outstretched arm, white Wii controller in hand. "Truce?"

"…NO!" With that Puck rushed her. Giggling, she half-heartedly fought him as he encircled her waist, twisting her in the air in friendly torment. "Let me go, Noah!" she laughed. Puck set her down gingerly. Delilah glared at them both.

"If you guys are gonna be like that, then do it somewhere else."

"What are you moaning about now, Spaz?"

"Don't be gross. All…touchy and stuff."

Rachel immediately reddened and retreated to a corner unoccupied by Puck. "It's not like that, Delilah. We're just friends."

"Then stop being gross and try another song." Delilah gave them both the eye of death before relenting and picking a new song. Rachel minded her 10 year old chaperone and played the infuriating game until it was definitely time to go home. Delilah was already getting ready for bed when she returned from retrieving her things from Puck's room.

"Goodnight, Delilah" she said sheepishly, still feeling chastised by the child's observation.

"Will you come over and play with me again? You were really getting it at the end."

Rachel laughed. "Yeah. I think I can do that."

"Sweet." Delilah grinned and said goodnight as Rachel left for the front door. Puck escorted her.

"She's a bit of a loud mouth" Puck apologized.

"Yeah, I wonder where she learned it from…" Rachel grinned over her shoulder and opened the front door. "Thanks for letting me come over, Noah. It was fun."

"Oh yeah. So much fun. Now you know how I feel all the time. She makes me play those stupid games almost every day."

"Oh, just amuse her. She doesn't know any better yet." Puck just shrugged. "We didn't really practice singing, now did we?"

"You don't need to practice with me, anyway. That's what Finn is for."

"Yeah, well…it's not fun to sing with the same person over and over. I like having a variety of partners." Puck's dirty mind brought a smug look to his face. "…don't be gross."

"I thought my sister already told me off about that." Rachel grew shy again. Puck didn't miss it. "Don't act weird about it, Berry. It's not anything. Just having fun."

"Are you sure?" she asked wearily.

"Yeah. Don't worry about it. I'm not pushing anything on you that you don't want to do."

"What does that mean?" she replied, quick to hear the lack of finality in his words. Puck's expression only slightly gave away his surprise.

"Doesn't mean anything, Berry. Night." Rachel took the hint that the conversation, and evening, were over and said her goodbyes. She felt his eyes on her as she made her way to her dads' car. She knew he was watching as she fished out the keys and then brought the car to a quiet purr. As she turned around in the street and headed back the way she came the curtains next to the door fluttered. Rachel decided it was best if she didn't notice that either.

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><p><strong>Okay, let me just say I TOTALLY called Need you Now as a song suggestion MONTHS before it was even written in. AND Lucky. According to my document history, I wrote this chapter in September, so booyah! I hope this chapter was okay with you because I think it's sweet how angsty they're being. And seriously, I would die if anyone on the show ever covered Gravity. I would DIE.<strong>

**Coming up next: Rachel grows very concerned with how her relationship with Finn is going and Puck finds out some news that sets his teeth on edge.**


	5. A Lack of Indifference

**Glee tonight! Finally! You lucky East Coasters are already watching it and my sad California ass has to wait another two and a half hours. But hey, at least I'm waiting as the sun is shining down and making things happy and warm. Bwahaha! I'm going to get off the internet now and hide so I don't ruin it for myself!**

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><p>Puck had been hanging around with Quinn a lot that summer too. It was his duty to make sure she was okay after the baby. She deserved to have <em>someone<em> watching her back. She'd given so much to do the right thing and the moment Puck watched her give birth to his daughter, he realized life was going to be different. For both of them. Puck's outlook on life was less deviant after Beth. He wanted to be someone to be proud of, even if Beth never knew who he was. As for Quinn, besides the emotional and physical strains of giving birth to a daughter that was hers for only minutes, it was going to take a long time to get back the respect her peers once held for her.

As much as he didn't want to admit it, the struggle she'd been through had been mostly his fault. Yeah, yeah, he'd heard the "it takes two" bullshit over and over all year, but it really was mostly _his_ fault. Yes, she'd used Puck just like he'd used her, but that didn't take away from the fact that she'd been a virgin. Puck's mistake had been in forgetting that Quinn wasn't Santana or Brittany; she wasn't on the pill because she wasn't having sex, and therefore she had no need to worry about daily pregnancy contraception. One could argue that she should have been responsible about condom use, but really…that wasn't on her either. Puck had assured her that everything was right, that he was careful and knew what he was doing. But the moment he felt Quinn's skin sliding against his, all thought was lost. He'd forgotten she wasn't like the others. Puck had taken advantage of her insecurities and, in the process, fathered a child.

He respected her choice to have the baby because it ultimately was _her_ choice. She'd chosen to carry the baby to term amidst a high school full of kids ready to pounce on her, besmirch her name, and drag her down. The moment she made it known that she wasn't having an abortion, Puck knew her reputation was gone. She was going to be the social outcast. The untouchable. The most notorious of sinners and rejects. Quinn had known it too and gone through with her decisions anyway. Quinn Fabray was far braver than anyone he knew. He loved her for her strength, her courage, and her pride. He loved her for allowing him chance after chance and an opinion that actually mattered. He'd been the fucking devil and she'd still included him. Puck would always love Quinn because she was the mother of his daughter. But he wasn't _in love_ with her. And he knew she wasn't _in love_ with him. They were friends that held too much history to let go. In years to come, she would be one of the few people he still spoke to from high school. No matter how far away they were from each other, he called to check on her.

Thus, Puck felt he owed it to her to see her through everything. Not just the pregnancy and adoption process, but her acclimation to becoming "normal" again. He hung out with her a lot during his free time, going to lunch at her favorite places and seeing the lame chick movies she loved. He was being her friend, probably her best friend considering most of the others had abandoned her or jumped ship when shit went down.

However, Puck was still a free spirit. There were still other girls, mostly chicks from other schools that hadn't heard of the Puckzilla or his rep. There were the slutty girls that gave it up too quickly, and the teases who didn't fuck at all. There were the experienced ones who knew what they wanted and the virgins who let him do everything while pretending they just liked being submissive. And then there was Rachel Berry who defied all categories.

Rachel and Puck sat together at Temple now because she had decided they were friends. It hadn't even been gradual. One Friday she plopped down next to him in the back pew and had been there every Friday since. There was even a routine. She would try very hard to pay attention and he would distract her enough until she was lost and beyond catching up. At that point they would silently text back and forth in conversation. It peeked his interest that even Rachel Berry could be distracted.

Puck was thinking about this new development on a Monday afternoon, his feet dangling in Mrs. Dwyer's pool, as he tested the pH. Quinn was semi-sunbathing on the grass nearby, shorts pulled high on her legs and tank straps dipping low. A pair of oversized sunglasses disguised eyes that pointed up at the sky. Quinn's hair was just starting to take on a sun-bleached look from the summer sun, complementing her natural blonde. She'd decided to tag along for the day, which cock-blocked the housewives that expected a quick afternoon tryst with Puck before their husbands arrived home. Puck almost felt bad about it, he would get less tips that way, but the MILFS on his route were already getting a little clingy. Better to cut them off now with a gorgeous blond girl 20-30 years their junior.

"So how was Ms. Friday?" Quinn asked. The names of the days of the week had become shorthand for referring to the girl Puck had taken out that day; "taken out" being a questionable analogy.

"Slut."

"Oh, I'm sure you were disappointed" Quinn replied, pushing back her hair with an irritated flick. They hadn't exactly mastered the art of comfortably talking about sex, seeing as how sex had been the source of their problems in the first place.

"Actually, a little. It's boring when they spread their legs without thinking twice."

"You're disgusting. Did you know?"

"I'm just telling you how it is. Not everyone has a conscience or whatever."

"Well? Did you?" _Did I fuck her, you mean?_

"No. I was going to, but I had to meet Berry before temple."

"Still sitting with her?"

"Yup" Puck replied absentmindedly as he re-tested the pool water. Unhappy with his results, Puck dumped in some chemical that would even everything out.

"Wait." Quinn sat up and pushed her sunglasses on top of her head. "You skipped on sex with an easy girl to hang out with _Man Hands_?"

"Do you have to call her that?"

"Sorry, habit." Quinn shrugged. She didn't even have anything against Rachel anymore, but the nicknames wouldn't leave Quinn's vocabulary. "But seriously, Rachel Berry?"

Knowing where the conversation was going, Puck flicked his eyes at her reproachfully. "It's not like that" he insisted a little too forcefully.

"It better not be. Look at how we hurt Finn. Don't do it again, Puck."

"Shit. Everyone needs to stop fucking saying that."

"Well stop giving people something to say." They locked eyes. The clarity with how she saw him was startling. She knew everything. Crap.

Knowing her word was final, Quinn flipped her glasses back down and returned to leaning back on her elbows. Puck glared as he collected his tools. He really needed to keep his fucking mouth shut. That was the problem with being real friends with girls. They always had an opinion that they couldn't keep to themselves.

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><p>Rachel lay on her back, gazing up at the cowboy themed wallpaper surrounding her on all sides. Directly behind her head a cowboy on a brown horse chased after a cow, lasso looping and curling in the air. How could a grown person still have this childhood décor covering his bedroom walls? Breaking Rachel's stream of thought, Finn's unconscious arm stretched forward, like the cowboy above, and landed on her chest, his hand cupping her breast. She studied him blankly.<p>

Losing her virginity hadn't quite been the _event_ she'd expected it to be. It wasn't that she'd hoped for something ridiculous like a fan fare, but she'd hoped she'd at least feel a little different. That was what worried her; she felt nothing. Sure, the act of sex was interesting, but emotionally she wasn't changed. Her connection with Finn wasn't any deeper now. Without even speaking to him, she knew something was amiss. Rachel thought that when girls lost their virginity, it made them instantly love that boy even more simply because of what they shared. You see, in Rachel's perfect dreamworld girls didn't have sex with boys that they didn't love, they didn't hookup for the hell of it, and they certainly didn't "just have sex" to "just lose their virginity already."

To Rachel's despair, she wasn't loving Finn anymore more or any less. She just wanted to get up, slide her clothes back on and get on with her day. When she attempted to remove Finn's heavy arm the boy shifted, pinning her down tighter. _Wonderful_. It occurred to her how odd it was that she was so much smaller than him. Yes, clothed, it was obvious. Any idiot would recognize that Rachel was petite and Finn…wasn't. Nude, though, it was even more blatant. Finn's large hands took up a good expanse of her back. She felt miniscule, fragile even.

The act itself was…interesting. She wondered if she would ever get used to sex. Would it eventually get better? At the moment, sex was raw and new. She was experiencing everything for the first time, and her body's responses were almost too much. One day she would enjoy it, she knew, but for the time being sex was overwhelming, confusing even. Where was the overpowering urgency people talked about? The rushing wave of lust that brought people to orgasm? She knew it couldn't be a myth; she'd heard so many women talk about it before. How could a prevailing theme like orgasm be fictional? She didn't understand and for the first time Rachel feared she would not be able to perfect her ability to do something.

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><p>It had been Santana's idea to go to Target that evening. She was being moody because Matt told her he was transferring schools. His mom was moving, which meant he was moving because his mom had custody. Matt would still be around. He would still hang out with the same people after school, he just wouldn't be hanging out <em>during<em> school with them, with her. Santana was not taking the news well. The girls at Matt's future school were, as a whole, a hell of a lot sluttier than the girls at McKinley. This did not bode well. Santana did not deal with competition in any hospitable way.

She and Puck were walking down the various aisles so Santana could find things to steal. Stealing took the edge off the threat of actually competing for attention. She was pissed and it figured in her mind that she could pass it off on someone else if she wronged them. Thus far she had two lipsticks and a pair of earrings hidden on various parts of her person. Puck walked next to her, his hands in his pockets. He didn't need to get busted again. Once more and he would actually be charged with a misdemeanor. Not cool.

They were currently by the women's lingerie, not because she want to steal a Target bra but because she was comparing sizes.

"Do you think I could get away with a boob job? Not a huge one, just a cup or two. Nothing big."

"Dude, a boob job is a boob job. There's no such thing as a big or small surgery. You don't need it, anyway."

"You sure? I think I could be a D."

"Why are you asking me? Ask Matt. He's the one that gets to see them. Or better yet, Brittany. I bet Britt knows _all_ about your boobs. Unless you want me to…"

"Can you stop already? Your Brittany comments are really starting to piss me off." Santana glared at Puck but moved on to a different department. "I'm just saying I think I want to do it. I want to be the first girl everyone notices."

"You already are."

"No I'm not. They notice Rachel in Glee and Quinn in the Cheerios."

"Which she isn't a part of anymore."

"Like that's going to last long. Coach Sylvester will _totally_ take her back if she loses the baby fat. I know it. Coach wants to win, and we barely won last year without Quinn. She'll be back somehow and I'll be in the background. _Again_."

"You're Santana fucking Lopez. _Everyone_ notices you."

"Yeah. For being a bitch. I want them to notice me _before_ I speak."

"I'm telling you. You don't-"

"Is that Finn?" Santana hissed, interrupting Puck. She crossed her arms in a domineering pose and smirked. Finn was casually looking at the condoms while pretending that he was only looking at the tampons. "Is he actually buying cock socks?"

"Can't be. Berry is too uptight to let him bone her" Puck replied, his stomach knotting up again. He felt his shoulders and neck tense at the thought.

"Well it looks like he is" Santana replied, a wicked gleam in her eye. She marched forward and snatched a box off the rack, taking Finnocence by surprise. Seeing that Puck was with her, Finn reddened drastically. Santana tossed the box at him, grinning from ear to ear. "These are _my_ favorite. Ribbed _and_ flavored. Just remember: No glove, no love, Hudson. Be careful or you and the musical elf will end up like the fuckin' Sound of Music family. That's right. I know what the Sound of Music is. So don't even try and make that lame ass comment, because it isn't even worth it." Santana cackled wickedly to herself and slinked away, leaving a trail of perfume and cynicism. Puck looked from the box to Finn's red face and back again.

Could someone please explain why he wanted to fuck up Finn's face? All Puck wanted to do was box Finn in his beefy head, rendering it as pulpy mush. He couldn't get the thought of them out of his head. Hudson had POKED Berry. She'd let him put his…aw fuck. The veins in Puck's neck began to pop. The worst part was he had no right to be so angry. Finn was Rachel's boyfriend and there was nothing wrong with them doing…that together. Puck felt the injustice rage inside him. He couldn't do a damned thing about it. Puck angrily shrugged and passed his former friend, following in Santana's wake. He found her two aisles over in the shampoo area. She was smelling the different bottles, sometimes grimacing, sometimes taking another sniff. "That was fucked up" he growled, red faced.

"Oh screw it. I was helping him out. He doesn't have, like, hardly any experience" she replied, thinking Puck was referring to her and not the jealousy coursing within him.

"Try none" he choked, covering.

Santana laughed to herself and placed a bottle of Suave back on the shelf. "You mean besides me?"

Puck took a moment to let that sink in. "What?"

"I had sex with Finn" she replied nonchalantly. "Last semester. God, he acted like such a virgin. He's lucky I did all the work. Otherwise neither of us would have gotten off."

"You boned Hudson? How did I not know this?"

"No one knows except Brittany, but I doubt she understood what was going on when I told her."

"Man, I bet you Berry doesn't know either." Puck glared in the general direction of Finn.

"Probably. He doesn't want anyone to know he lost it to the 'school slut', the fucking baby." Santana rolled her eyes and snatched up a bottle from the shelf. "When did they start selling Bumble and Bumble at Target?" Immediately the shampoo/conditioner set went into Santana's oversized bag and she moved on, completely indifferent to what had just happened. Puck was lost in thought as they made their way towards the toothbrushes. Hudson lied to Berry. He could feel it. The seething inside came to a boil. It wasn't too late to kick his ass.

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><p><strong>You guys, this chapter is crabby inducing, I know. BUT it's necessary so Rachel and Puck can get to where I need them to be. I mean, you have to hate Rachel being with Finn so that a) it makes you happy when things go south and b) you feel relieved that Puck is there for her. It will start looking up for them next chapter. <strong>**Actually, I'm kind of excited for Rachel to call Finn on his shit. It's a long time coming. ;)**


	6. All Encompassing

**Hallo. So shit is finally going to hit the fan. YAY! **

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><p>That Friday, as on every Friday for the last month, Puck called Rachel a little after lunch. They usually hung out on Fridays before temple and then drove to the only local synagogue together. Sometimes Delilah was with them, but usually it was just the pair. That day, it was supposed to be just them.<p>

"Hey, Noah" Rachel answered, no longer bothering with proper greetings. Usually she was opposed to the lack of ritual, but Puck NEVER bothered being polite when she called. She no longer saw the point in even trying anymore.

"Ready to go?"

"I…uh…I'm going to be a little late today" she said breathily. She sounded distracted to him…too distracted. "Maybe in an hour or so?"

Puck furrowed his forehead. What the fuck was she doing? The answer came to him a little too slowly. She was either pre or post sex. He could just tell. It made him want to punch Hudson, again, and make him cry, again. Sex and Rachel were like two opposing ideas; they hadn't mixed before and he didn't want to know about what happened when they did. Probably bad things. Complicated things that were over analyzed. Puck hunkered down in his truck. He'd assumed she would be ready, like always, and had already gotten ready himself.

"Yeah, that's cool" he lied.

"I'm sorry. I'll make this really fast. I'll call you, okay?"

"Take your time" he seethed. Why rush things? Hudson wouldn't take long. "I'll be at home. Just let me know."

"Thanks. I'm sorry, Noah. I should have let you known earlier."

"Not a big deal. I have lots of shit to do, anyway."

"Okay…I'll see you in a bit, then?"

"Later, Berry" he answered, clenching his jaw. He waited for her to click off before he slammed his phone shut with a loud clack. Puck sat there in his truck, pissed beyond belief. He'd lied. He had nothing else to do. He'd expected Rachel to be ready like she always was and waiting for him. He was the one that was supposed to be late because he was hooking up.

With nothing to do Puck stomped back into the house, slamming the screen door as he went. This did not go unnoticed by his mother.

"Noah! How many times do I have to tell you to not slam my doors? If you break it, you're fixing it!"

"Yeah, I know Mom."

Mrs. Puckerman came out of the living room and met Puck by the stairs. After years of dealing with her son's attitude, she knew when his angsty retorts were just him being a teenager and when they were fueled by something more. Noah was angry about something this time.

"What's wrong, honey?"

"Nothing."

"I thought you were picking up Rachel?"

"I am. 'In an hour or so'" he sneered in a faux Rachel Berry tone. Mrs. Puckerman smiled to herself.

"She's a girl, Noah. Sometimes they just take a while."

"Not Berry. You could set the world clock to her schedule." Puck shook his head and stamped up a few more steps.

"I know you're not used to girls not liking you back right away, but give her some time."

"Excuse me?" Puck spun around on the step, wide eyed. "I _don't_ like Berry."

"I am your mother, Noah Puckerman. I can read every thought on that face of yours."

"Dude. Everyone really needs to stop already."

"I am not a 'Dude'" His mother warned, making a tired face at the habitual name. "You have to give her some time. You're a little…abrasive and it takes people a little while to see the real you." Puck looked at her blandly, already shutting off her words. It was a defense mechanism he'd developed as a child. When he didn't want to hear what anyone had to say, his face turned blank and passive, a sign his mind was elsewhere. Mrs. Puckerman climbed the steps between them and put a motherly hand on Puck's cheek. "She's a good girl, Noah. You know it. Treat her right. Care for her like you did for Quinn and the baby." Mentioning the baby garnered his full attention. As he studied his mother's face his eyes softened to a point none of his friends had every witnessed. Only his Mom could drag it out of him. To Mrs. Puckerman, Noah looked like a boy that needed a good cry to get it all out. Whether Noah would ever allow that was a completely different story. She smiled a small smile and kissed Puck on the temple, passing him on the step. "You'll be okay." She swatted him on the butt, a universally embarrassing Mom move, and moved on. As she rounded the corner at the top of the stairs she yelled down one last thing. "Be NICE when you pick her up. She's a nice girl."

Puck rolled his eyes. Yeah, real nice. A nice girl that was fornicating as they spoke. Immediately his anger flared back up. Puck stormed into his room and hid, plucking out chords to angry songs, waiting for Rachel to text him.

Rachel Berry was running behind. The first half of the day had gone according to plan. Finn had come over for a while after her dads had gone to work, but he wasn't happy when he found out Rachel was sending him home shortly after so Puck could come over. He had to understand, though, that Puck was her friend and she had the right to spend time with her friends. She sent her boyfriend home, beet faced, with a kiss on the cheek and a innuendo filled wink. Still with time to spare, Rachel showered – she didn't want to feel dirty at temple – and put on a white eyelet summer dress that flattered her sun-kissed skin. As she was curling a few strands of hair to dress up her ponytail she felt her stomach contract in on itself to a point where she actually winced. Her eyes grew wide in recognition. Cursing, Rachel rushed to the bathroom, but it was too late. Her period had already stained her underwear. How had she forgotten? She knew down to the day when her period would come. Every month. Mumbling these questions to herself Rachel yanked open her "feminine hygiene products" drawer, only to find it down to the dregs. There wasn't enough to last her through the first day of her period. No way. Now irritated with herself, Rachel made an emergency run to the store.

Suffice to say, Rachel was running late, but with good reason. Noah would tell her that at least she wasn't "late." That thought made her pause. She was thinking like him now? When she finally called Puck back he answered moodily and grunted in response. He arrived in a huff. Puck didn't meet her at her door like he usually did and didn't say much when she hopped in the truck. Rachel tried to apologize for her abrupt change of schedule, but Puck was being irritable and not listening. She could tell by the blank look on his face. That's how he looked whenever Mr. Schue lectured him on enunciating his singing voice and really getting into the choreography. He simply didn't want to hear what she had to say. That only served to make her angry.

"I don't understand why you're so mad, Noah. It's not like I bailed on you or something. I was just running a little behind is all" Rachel explained. Puck exhaled loudly in response. "Will you just talk please?"

"Nope" he mumbled, clamping his lips tight after he was done.

"Well why not?" Did he have any idea how irritating he was being? Probably. Puck shook his head and remained silent from his side of the truck. "God! You know, you are being really annoying right now, Noah."

"Like you are every day?" Puck countered then bit his lip, remembering his need to remain silent.

"What? Is? Your? PROBLEM?" Rachel cried with a voice rising to an irritating notch that Puck couldn't ignore.

"Dude! Just shut up!"

"NO!" Rachel flailed her arms in exasperation. Any more lip from Puck and she might actually break her no cussing rule.

"Shit, Berry. If you keep screeching like a fucking banshee I'm going to snap at you. I'm trying really hard here, so just _shut up_!"

"Just say what you're thinking, then! Don't act like a…a…well a bitch!"

Puck hit the breaks and swerved into a Dairy Queen parking lot. "Did you seriously call me a _bitch_?"

"I think so" Rachel gasped, horrified that she'd used a curse word. It was all Puck's fault. She'd been spending WAY too much time with him if his atrocious speech habits were rubbing off on her.

"Fucking fine! I'm fucking pissed with you because you ditched me earlier so you could _fuck_ Finn. Happy now?"

Rachel's eyes grew wide. Puck slammed his hand on the horn, releasing some of his frustration. It only served to frustrate everyone else outside the truck. He did it twice more.

"I'm not sleeping with him" Rachel lied quietly.

"The fuck you aren't. I saw him buying condoms at Target yesterday. Just so you know, Santana saw him too, so you can be sure everyone will know by Sunday."

Rachel was shocked by his vulgarity. Heat flared up her neck and face, making her tan skin seem sunburned. How utterly embarrassing. All the people who lived to torment her could now call her a slut. She looked down at her white dress in disgust. She felt dirty. …but it wasn't any of their business, now was it? That was between her and Finn and anyone nosey enough to butt in needed to get a life. They had no right to even know about her sex life. Noah had no right.

"Well it's none of your business ANYWAY!" she yelled. "You have no right to suggest anything about me or assume anything. And if you did hear things about me, I would hope you would ignore salacious rumors, let alone not spread them. Throwing it in my face just makes you look like an ass. So mind your own business!"

"Yo! I make it my business when people fuck with my friends!"

"Finn isn't even your friend _anyway_. He still hates you."

"I wasn't talking about _Finn_. That motherfucker can jump off a fucking bridge. I'm talking about you. You're my friend, dude, and if he fucking hurts you I'm gonna kill him, so help me god."

"He would never hurt me. He knows how hard it was last year. He just wouldn't."

"Yeah, well lies hurt, no matter how old they are. I would know."

"What is _that_ supposed to mean?" Rachel spat.

"It means talk to ya boy because he's lying to you."

Rachel actually laughed. "I'm so sure! He would never dare lie about anything as bad as what you're insinuating. Besides, even if he did, what's there to lie about? He knows all I want is the truth. No matter how bad it is. I don't care what he's done as long as he just tells me."

"Fuck. I'm serious, Rach, and it's totally not cool."

Rachel's smirk faltered. "That's not funny, Noah."

"Didn't say it was" he huffed. He'd said way too much out of frustration and now felt uncomfortable sitting next to her. Doubt clouded her face.

"If you know something I should know, just tell me. Is it bad? Dangerous? Can it harm me? If I'm your friend, then let me know." Puck watched her eyes grow more worried. _SHIT_. "God…Noah, please just tell me?"

"Aww…shit." Puck shifted in his seat and tried to think of a nice way to say what he knew without being a condescending asshole. He didn't want to make her…like…cry or whatever. "You shouldn't have sex with him anymore without talking."

Rachel's reaction was incredulous. "AND WHY IS THAT?"

"Finn screwed Santana last winter at a motel off the interstate."

To say that the bluntness of this disclosure stung was an understatement. Rachel was still mentally reeling from the verbal blow ten minutes later. She was trying to remember when she and Finn had talked about having sex and their different options, but she couldn't remember when it had happened. She knew she'd admitted to being a virgin, that she'd lied about sleeping with Jesse. But had Finn hinted at anything in return? She had no idea. That didn't bode well for Rachel's wishful thinking; she had an excellent memory. The only reason she wouldn't have bothered to ask her boyfriend about it was because she'd thought he was a virgin too.

Puck nervously picked at the steering wheel cover. Maybe he shouldn't have thrown Santana under the bus. Lopez was an easy lay for him, but that was only because she liked how he sexed her. She tested everyone in one way or another before letting them come close to even touching the vage. Put it this way: Santana put out as long as you met the requirements and played by her rules. She had standards first off. No one under 5'10", no flabbies, no nerds, no punk-ass-bitches, no dudes that smelled, no dudes that wore cologne, no hippies, no trekies, no socialists, no unibrows, no baldies, and certainly no one unwilling to prove he was clean. Even then the girl was scrupulous about wrapping the tool and knowing about every previous lay before letting the P in the V. She honestly didn't have anything. That was "below" her standards as the diva that she was. Besides, her dad would kill her if she tested positive for any kind of STD.

It wasn't really fair to use Santana's reputation to put suspect in Rachel's mind, but the excuse had just come flowing out. Usually, Puck was a great liar. Especially when it came to spontaneous shit. The blow to Santana's rep was substandard and Puck couldn't figure quite what had happened.

"Really, I don't think anything bad will happen. Lopez is super fucking strict with her condom rules. I know she doesn't have anything" Puck added, trying to ease his conscience.

"Doesn't matter" Rachel muttered.

"I'm sorry. Man, I wanted to tell you, but it wasn't my business."

"You're right. It isn't your business" Rachel snapped harshly. She didn't want to be going through this over and over again. It only brought the fact that Finn had hurt her back to the front of her mind. Again. The comment made Puck draw back. Rachel didn't sound angry very often. Once in a while she would be a little irritable, maybe even pissed. But now she sounded genuinely angry. That couldn't be all, though. The crack in her voice said so.

"Are you crying? Crap. Please don't cry."

"I'm not" she sniffed.

"What do I do? I dunno what to do I-"

"Please stop talking. That's what I want you to do."

Puck clamped his mouth shut, holding in an infinite jumble of nonsense meant to fill the awkward void.

Rachel could _not_ believe this. Literally. She couldn't believe it because if she did she would be admitting that she had been wrong about Finn. She had been aware that he wasn't a Prince Charming, but Finn had been real and genuinely a good guy. That's what she had thought, anyway. The problem wasn't that he'd had sex before her. Or that it had been with Santana. …well the Santana part didn't help the situation. The problem was that he'd let her believe he hadn't. It was the lying that Rachel couldn't stand for. One could argue that Finn hadn't really lied, but had just kept his mouth shut. However, lying by exclusion was still lying.

She sat silently in Puck's pickup for a while, looking almost comatose. She could feel Puck shifting anxiously next to her. What did he care? It wasn't his relationship that was about to be ruined. Not that Puck knew what a relationship really was. He slept with girls, but he didn't continue to speak to them after their vaginas were no longer a mystery. It was her, Rachel, that was going to have to start over. Again.

She didn't want to call him, because when she did they would argue and then she would cry and he would get frustrated and that was NEVER a good thing. Nothing would ever get solved and Finn would shut down before she could calm down. She had to do it, though. There was no avoiding the conversation they needed to have. There was no way he was going to have sex with other girls and think it was okay NOT to tell her. It was rude, inconsiderate, and not safe.

In a jerky movement that startled him, Rachel turned to Puck.

"Can you give me a moment? I'm going to call him."

"Yeah. Sure." Puck waited for Rachel to hop out of the cab. She only gave him a exasperated look. "…I'll just wait out there?"

"Thank you."

Puck threw Rachel an annoyed look – it was HIS truck, after all – and went to sit on one of the out door benches next to the Dairy Queen. From there he could see Rachel through the windshield. She had thrown her legs across the bucket seat and leaned her back against the door. A bad sign. It said she was getting comfortable which meant she had a lot of things to say. That meant Puck was going to be sitting in the sun for a while. He contemplated getting a burger, but Rachel always got pissed if he ate without her before going to temple. Looking at Rachel's pink eyes as she dialed Finn on her phone, Puck decided she wasn't going to give a fuck what he did for a really long time. He got the burger.

"I don't care, Finn!" Rachel spat into the phone. "I don't care that you had sex before me! I care that you didn't tell me!"

"Well fuck, Rach" Finn moaned on his side of the call. "It wasn't a big deal and I _knew_ you would make it into one. This conversation didn't need to happen at all."

"What do you mean? Why would you say something like that?"

"Shit. That didn't come out right."

"For your sake let's hope it didn't, because if it had I would tell you that you are a stupid effing liar."

"Don't call me stupid, okay?"

"You are not in any position to tell _me_ how to behave. I trusted you to just tell the truth. Always the truth, no matter how hurtful, because lies just end up hurting more. How many times did we talk about that? Hmm? After everything with Quinn, I thought you would get that. Then what do I find out? You lied about being a virgin. You had sex with SANTANA! Really? Of all people, Santana? How could you? You know she doesn't care about you. You had to have known that! She USES people! She doesn't care about ANYONE but herself. Why in the world did you decide it was okay to lose your virginity to SANTANA?"

"We weren't even together. And you were with Jesse and _you_ let _me_ think you had sex with _him_!"

"Yeah, and then I told you the truth the moment we started dating, didn't I? I didn't keep lying to you about it! You told me you didn't sleep with her. To. My. Face. I cannot believe you would be so deceitful."

"Come on! Please don't be like this."

"_Don't_. Just don't."

"What do you want me to do? I'll do it!"

"I don't want anything from you. Not any more."

"Fuck! What are you saying? Are you breaking up with me?"

"I thought you were someone I could honestly trust. I loved you. I gave myself to you. I let you _have me_. And you took it all for granted, stepped all over it. It just hurts so damned bad inside, Finn. It hurts."

"It honestly didn't mean a thing."

"Then why do it? Why would you have sex with someone that you don't even like? I waited for you. You know that? I waited. And you let me think you waited for me too. That's just…it's so WRONG. It especially offends me that you thought I wouldn't find out. How would I not find out that you slept with the easiest girl in the school? I'm smarter than that."

"Rach, don't do this. Babe, we can get through it. I swear it was only the one time and it didn't go anywhere else or mean anything else. You. You matter. You always matter to me. I promise I won't ever let you down again."

"Your promises don't really mean anything to me anymore, now do they?"

"Rach…"

"I'm done."

When Puck settled back down on the table top Rachel was already flailing her hands in frustration. Her face was redder now; her scrunched eyebrows said she was less sad and more pissed than before. Everyone knew Rachel Berry had a big mouth, literally. So to say that her mouth was expressive was an understatement. If he tried, Puck could pick out the words she was now arguing with: I don't care…why…liar…Santana…don't…I loved you…(and then finally)_ done_. He saw her angrily jab at her phone and toss it on the seat before letting her head fall forward. She hid her face in her hands. She looked defeated, finished, fed up. Oh. Crap.

He hovered near the benches for a moment, torn between following Rachel's orders to shut up and leave her alone and going to the girl now bawling in his truck. He knew she wouldn't want to speak to him now. Not after what he'd said to her. He'd upset her on purpose, too. He knew it would hurt her, but the thought of Berry letting Hudson poke her was just…disgusting. No, not disgusting. It was…was…well some other word Puck couldn't think of that was totally revolting in every single fucking way. He'd been so pissed that he would have done anything to make it stop…and he did. It made him shudder to even think about it, because when he thought about it he began to picture it, and when he pictured it he began to feel sick.

Puck watched as Rachel flipped her hair back off her face and pushed it all over one shoulder. As she leaned her head on the window, deflated, her watery eyes met his and held his gaze. She didn't look mad, but she didn't look okay, either. If anything, she was void. Her eyes stayed on him as he tossed his burger wrapper and grabbed a handful of napkins. They stayed on him as he timidly made his way back to the truck. They stayed on him as he cautiously opened the door and stuck his head inside. They were still on him as he spoke.

"Um…here" he mumbled, handing her the napkins he'd taken. Rachel accepted dully and let the paper fall to the seat next to her. What was the point now? Her face and neckline of her dress were tear stained anyway. The boy before her shuffled aimlessly outside the cab of the car.

"Just come in and sit, Noah. You're making me nervous." Puck clambered in and waited next to Rachel in silence. She said nothing, which only served to make him more uncomfortable.

"I, um…are you okay?" he asked dumbly, seeing as it was obvious she was NOT okay.

"I don't know." Rachel met his eyes again and tried to smile, but couldn't. The sureness in her voice was missing, the animation of her face gone. She sighed, giving up the weak façade. "I want to say something strong and positive. Like, that I'll be fine, or I'll get through it, but that's not how it feels right now. I feel useless. Like I'm never good enough." Her usually clear eyes shone even brighter as they grew watery. "It really hurts, you know. He's done this twice now, breaking my heart. So did Jesse. I don't know how much I can handle anymore. It's like I try so hard but I'm not meant to have anyone for myself."

"Dude. You're sixteen."

"I don't feel sixteen, though. I never have."

"Berry, I don't really know what to say to you right now."

"You don't have to say anything if you don't want to. I'm kind of babbling anyway." Rachel raised a corner of her mouth and made a face that never reached a grin.

"I just feel really bad. I shouldn't have said all that shit like that. It wasn't right."

"I'm not going to tell you it's okay, because it's not." Puck nodded. "You were so mean about it."

"I know."

"You're always mean to people, but it hasn't been at me for a while now, you know?" She waited for him to respond, but the boy wasn't ready to explain himself quite yet. She continued anyway. "I just don't understand why you got so upset. You were fine this morning when I first talked to you, but then you showed up to pick me up and you were fuming. Why even bother to get me if you were angry?"

"…I dunno" Puck mumbled, looking at his lap. His jeans were starting to wear thin, he could almost see the fibers separating in places.

"I don't know either because it doesn't make any sense." She sat on the thought for a while, trying to reason it into sense. Why had this situation even started? The answer came to her shortly. "You thought I was having sex. That's what you said, right?"

"Rach…"

"You jerk! For your information I wasn't having sex. I had to run to the store, not a big deal."

"S-sorry" Puck stuttered. Now he felt like an even bigger jackass.

Rachel studded his face as he said it, analyzing. He couldn't meet her eyes, not out of defiance, but of shame. "I know you are. It's just…I'm not sure about you anymore."

That hurt Puck more than he wanted it to. He'd just gotten the hang of being truly nice to her, too. "Okay" he responded lamely. What else was there to say?

"Oh, and Noah?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm just letting you know right now that my sex life is none of your business. You don't need to know whom I am sleeping with, when it happens, or where. Got it?" she commanded calmly.

"Dude, I-"

"No. None of your business."

"Fine" he replied testily.

Rachel sighed heavily and collapsed against the door again. She looked tired and a bit fed up with everyone. In her silence she thought about Finn again. The hopelessness of the situation made her cringe inside. It was like there was a hole in the middle of her chest that felt both desolate and full of pressure at the same time. She was still furious, though. She missed him and hated him at once. No, not hate. Rachel didn't hate anyone. She just really disliked some people, not hate. There was one thing, though, that she was positive about.

"I don't want to go tonight." Puck eyed her curiously. "I'm not going to Temple."

"Want me to take you home now?"

"No. My dads are still home; we have to wait until they leave. They're going to be disappointed regardless, but I just don't want to hear it right now."

"That's not very Rachel Berry-like."

"Well obviously being 'Rachel Berry' isn't doing me any favors."

"Seriously? You're a good person, Berry. Everyone else can go fuck themselves." Rachel scoffed. "This insecure thing you've got going on is way retarded. Do you. That's all I gotta say."

Rachel nodded. She didn't want to be a different person, really. She just wanted people to like her. Was that too much to ask for? Judging by her lack of friends, apparently so.

"This day has just gotten worse and worse. Not only do I no longer have a boyfriend, but I have no friends either." As she admitted the truth she began to cry again. Puck cursed to himself.

"Alright. We are not doing this here. People are starting to stare."

Rachel continued to cry, oblivious to their peers staring into the cab, as Puck started the truck with a loud growl and drove away. They cruised around town for a while, Puck keeping up a flow of conversation to distract Rachel enough to keep her from crying again. She didn't respond much, but the constant ebb of comments and thoughts coming from the boy next to her helped to drown out her own thoughts of misery and loathing. He finally drove her home when the usual Torah readings began. That way no one was home.

Wordlessly he followed her inside and up the stairs. As Rachel changed out of her dress in the bathroom Puck wandered her room. Nothing much had changed up there either. The walls were still yellow, the bed still frilly. The only differences were the pictures tucked into he frame of the oval mirror over her vanity. Most of them were of her with Finn, which made him feel instantly bored. When Rachel came out Puck was still looking at the pictures, an unreadable expression on his face. Rachel immediately began removing the pictures, one-by-one, until not a single speck of Finn was left. The pictures went into a box, which fit into another box, which then fit under her dresser. If it had been Puck, he would have set them on fire out in the driveway, but he supposed he was a much more visceral person than Rachel.

She said nothing of the pictures as she took hold of his arm, her small hand lightly brushing his skin. Puck marveled at how soft girls were. Every time he touched a girl the smoothness of her skin sent a thrill through him. Their proportions were supple, touch gentle. There was nothing better in the world than girls and the way they looked at you. The look that made you feel like something bigger, better.

She was tired of everything, so tired that she didn't have the energy to care anymore. She ushered Puck into the living room and plopped down sideways into the large couch in the living room, pulling her knees up close to her chest. Puck took a seat next to her and propped his feet up on the coffee table. She didn't even care enough to yell at him about it.

The room was quiet for so long that Puck began to fall asleep. He dreamed that he and Rachel were sitting on really comfortable couches in a doctor's waiting room, but he didn't know what kind of doctor or where they were exactly. Actually, it sounded pretty creepy when he thought about it. Really sexy nurses in short, Cheerio-esque skirts sat behind the counter, smirking to themselves as they chatted. Finally the head nurse in charge, who looked exactly like Santana in a low cut dress, escorted them into a room where giant TV/computer screens on the wall listed out a bunch of crap he couldn't understand. The words were gibberish to him, chicken scratch so illegible it reminded him of reading Hebrew. He never had learned to read the portion of the torah he'd recited for his bar mitzvah. He'd cheated, as always. Rachel stared at the screens as well and immediately began to cry. Clearly _she_ got it. Nurse Santana rolled her eyes but tried to comfort Rachel as best as she could. Then she glared at Puck and scolded him about being the one that should be comforting Rachel, considering it was his doing. Puck's stomach sank to the floor.

No way…

He looked at the screens again and everything became clear. They were the results of every kind of sex-related test known to man. STDs, AIDS, Hepatitis, infections, sperm and egg counts, fertility possibilities and pregnancy. The high sperm count gave Puck a little jolt of pride, but his ego crashed and burned when the word "Positive" next to "Pregnancy" started flashing in red letters. FUCK. Puck's head fell forward. Not again. This wasn't happened again. As he bought his hands to his face the feel of warm metal made him pull back. Um…Puck didn't wear rings. Especially…NO WAY. Rachel lunged at him, clinging to his neck. She wasn't crying in sadness, but joy. The feel of the wedding band on Rachel's hand pressed into Puck's neck. He instantly froze. What was going on? Since when was he the marrying type? And since when had _any_ girl thought he was marriage material? Rachel clung to him happily, giggling through her tears.

"Oh my god! Baby, we did it! We did it! Oh God! Honey, say something!"

"I don't understand…"

Rachel pulled away in confusion, but laughed at Puck's face. "He's in shock! Oh, Noah…" Rachel smiled and took Puck's face in her hands, her thumbs brushing over his cheek bones. "I love you" she whispered. Glowing, she leaned forward and pressed her lips to his. Oh shit. Damn…Berry knew how to kiss…oh man…. He felt himself sink into her, letting instinct take over. After the initial shock, kissing Rachel wasn't so bad. A smile crept across his face, interrupting the movement of his lips. Rachel pulled back to study him again.

"Now there's the Noah I know. I thought you were going to bolt for a second there. I need you, you know."

"I'm not gonna let you down, Berry."

"I'm not a Berry anymore; I'm a Puckerman, like you."

Puck stopped to think about that. She wasn't a "Berry", she was a "Puckerman". She was one with him. A pair, a couple. Puck cocked his head to the side. It wasn't the worst idea he'd ever heard. It sounded kind of nice, actually. To belong with someone, really belong.

"Just remember" Rachel continued, "I need you right now. Noah? Are you listening? NOAH!"

Puck jerked forward on the couch. He was still in the Berry living room and Rachel looked furious.

"Oh, excuse me. Did I wake you?" she bellowed.

"Sorry. My bad…"

"You are so rude."

"Fuck. I said I'm sorry. You weren't talking for FOREVER and everything was quiet and I fell asleep."

"I'm so sorry that I bore you."

"I wasn't bored. Just cautious. I was waiting for you to talk first."

"Well, when I did you were sleeping and missed it."

"What did you say, then?"

"Just that I really need you right now. I don't have anyone else."

"I'm here, aren't I?"

"Yes."

"So I'll keep being around, okay? Just shoot me a text or call or something. I'll be here."

"Okay."

"Good."

"Good."

"Anything else?"

"I want to make him sorry."

"And how do you suggest you do that?"

Rachel's eyes gleamed with a plan. Clearly, she'd been scheming in her head during her silence. Puck shuddered. What could be scarier than a vengeful Berry? "You. You can help me" she answered.

"What do you mean?"

"I'll pretend you're my rebound."

"Oh no!" Puck hollered, putting a hand up between them. "I'm not doing it again. It didn't work the first time either. No way."

"Yeah, but you don't hate me as much anymore."

"I never hated you. I just thought you were super annoying is all."

"Thanks…"

"Whatever. It's not like that now. But that plan? It's a dumb idea, Berry."

"Not really. Finn REALLY dislikes you and I really dislike him."

"For right now, maybe. But in a few days? Weeks?"

"No" she interrupted, very serious. "He lied and that is not okay. I thought we shared…that it was…we were supposed to be firsts for each other. It was supposed to mean something."

"Did it mean something to you?"

"Of course it did" she said automatically.

"Hold up. Really think about it for a second. Does it mean something to you that you gave it up to him?"

_What a ridiculous question_ Rachel thought. But as she considered it she grew uneasy. It had to mean something. She hadn't lost her virginity for nothing. She'd had a plan, to wait until she was older, and broken that plan because it had felt like the right time. She wouldn't do that for nothing. As Rachel thought back to the few times she'd been with Finn an odd feeling overcame her. It was akin to disappointment.

"Well…it does mean _something_" she finally replied. Puck returned the skeptical comment with a raised eyebrow to which Rachel sighed. "I cannot believe we are talking about this. It matters to me that I finally had sex and know what it's like."

"And?" Puck urged.

"…and I think people make a big deal about something that is just mediocre."

Puck spat. "DUDE!"

"It's true! Sex isn't what everyone says it is."

"Oh fuck. Don't ever say that!"

"It's not."

"I knew it! I knew Hudson would fuck it up."

"He did not!"

"Oh yes he fucking did!" Puck leaned very close to Rachel's face, his voice grew low. "If he had done it right you would NEVER say it was overrated. Never."

"W-whatever, Noah."

"You need to be fucked properly and by someone that knows how." Sometimes Puck was grateful that his mother made him watch old movies with her when he was younger. Most of his best lines came from movies so old most kids hadn't seen them.

"Don't misquote Gone With the Wind." Rachel's face grew crimson. "Can we not talk about this?"

Puck held his position for a second before backing away to his side of the couch. "Sure."

Rachel watched him wearily. Was Noah right? Of anyone, he would know. So maybe it hadn't been her imagination. So maybe sex could be more exciting. She grew shifty in her seat.

Puck smirked to himself. He had Berry thinking about sex. He could tell by the way she seemed a bit jittery. It was awesome. His mind went to the dream he'd had and how loving she'd been. Was that what it was like to really "have" Rachel Berry? When she committed, was her love so intense that it made you weak beneath it and want to love her back? What would it be like to see it through and make a family with her? Puck imagined that baby making would be different than just "sex" or "fucking". It would be…be…something huge and important and…something? All encompassing? Puck screwed up his face. Was that the right phrase? Why did he care?

"Hey Rach? What's 'all encompassing' mean?"

"Talk about a non sequitur." Rachel stared at Puck, confused, but answered. "It means everything, kind of. Like, it's so huge that it just becomes and means everything. Why?"

"Just wondering. Popped into my head."

"What's so 'all encompassing'?"

"Nothing." Puck finally looked at Rachel again. She seemed so un-Rachel. "Are you okay? Really?" she just shrugged in return.

"I could really use a mom right now. This whole day has been way too much to handle. I need help and I don't know what to do."

Puck sighed. "I'll help you, Berry."

Rachel scoffed. "Thanks."

"No. I mean I'll do it. I'll help you out and pretend and shit."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Because you aren't you right now and that isn't cool."

The side of Rachel's mouth turned up. "You're a good guy, Noah."

"Yeah, just don't let anyone know."

Rachel wrapped her arms around Puck's neck and hugged him. His heart hammered undetected in his chest. She was soft and smelled like a woman. Not that fruity shit other girls wore. A woman's perfume. A mature scent that was so understated you had to be right on her to smell it. Puck could definitely smell it. "I promise it will work and you won't regret a thing" she assured him. _We'll see about that_.

* * *

><p><strong>Puck and Rachel sitting in a tree...<strong>


	7. Because I Like Her

**We're at the home stretch now. Just a couple chapters left! Woo hoo! **

* * *

><p>Operation Puck-is-hooking-up-with-Rachel, or Operation Puckleberry as they jokingly referred to it, began a few days after the breakup. Puck and Rachel didn't do anything too different than before; they just made sure to be extra attentive to one another when people were around. When they went out to eat and saw other kids there, Puck and Rachel would sit on the same side of the booth rather than opposites. Puck would pretend to listen to every damn word Rachel said, which was harder than expected because the girl would yammer on nervously the entire time. When it was time to leave they made a semi-big deal about Puck telling Rachel that he 'had' the check and, for the coup de grâce, when they got up he would lead her out holding her hand. Once out of sight they would part, though, and Rachel would slip Puck her share of the check.<p>

It didn't take long for Finn to hear about them and freak out. Describing his reaction as outraged didn't begin to cover it; he was _livid_. He put all the blame on Puck, of course. To Finn, Puck was already an enabler, him hooking up with Rachel just proved his point. The guy couldn't keep his hands off anything Finn had. He especially had fucking sticky fingers when it came to girls. Puck's ability to steal Finn's girlfriends made him self conscious. What was so wrong with him? What did Puck have that he didn't? The guy was a total asshole. He had no respect for anyone and a raging temper that got him into trouble all the time. He smoked, he drank, and he used girls. Rachel knew all of it too and chose the jerk _anyway_. It infuriated Finn. Life wasn't fucking fair. (He managed to ignore the fact that it was his own doing that made Rachel break up with him. He attributed this new, ballsy Rachel Berry to Puck too.)

To say that Santana Lopez enjoyed drama was an understatement. She craved it like an addiction. If there was no drama to be found, she created it. She took pride in knowing she'd helped create the drama now enfolding. There had been no need for her to inform Puck that she'd taken Finn's virginity, yet she'd done it for shits and gigs. She'd done it because she could see Puck crushing on the singing troll. She'd also done it because she knew he'd tell her out of jealousy. It was out of pure boredom that she'd decided to break up Finn and Rachel. The pairing irritated her anyway. They acted too cute, cared too much. It sickened her how fake they were. This was high school, not real life, and Berry would bounce to New York as soon as she could. In real life, Rachel Berry's annoying perfection and skill would take her places. Finn Hudson would stay in Ohio for the rest of his life. He would happily attend a local, likely state, school, find a good enough job, and stay here. _That_ was real life and Santana Lopez hated it when people were blind to the inevitable. Rachel and Finn were _high school_ sweethearts, they weren't married, and they really needed a wake up call; she was the messenger.

Santana was grinning and thinking about this as she roamed about Lima with Brittany. They walked with linked pinkies, as always. Around Brittany, Santana felt stronger. She was taller, more powerful. _Someone_. It was because Brittany always cared. Her pretty head may have been half empty sometimes, but she was loyal to the core. She watched out for Santana, cared about her when no one else noticed that her bravado was slipping that day. Brittany was always there for her. So, in turn, Santana was always there for Brittany.

Lately, though, Brit had been more physical in public than usual. Santana was used to the affection in private, but PDA was another matter she didn't want to deal with. Brittany's moves automatically made her turn her bitch mode to high, even though the embraces themselves didn't bother her. Was it too much to want to keep their…whatever private? Yeah, Santana felt kinda bad bitching at Brittany, but they were becoming a little bit like a couple and Santana did not want to think about what that meant.

Regardless, what they did in private was up for grabs. They were sashaying in public now, seemingly typical teenaged girls vying for attention. In ten minutes they would be at Santana's house, at which point all bets would be off…so would their clothes.

As they stood at the corner of Main and Oakwood a strange sight forced the Latina's brain to a stumbling pause. Santana hadn't actually seen Rachel and Puck in public, she'd only heard about it. By Puck's testimony the two were hardly friends. Santana squinted; that wasn't what she was seeing. Puck and Rachel were across the street, having just left Lima's pathetic excuse for a mall. Puck was clutching a plastic Gamestop bag in one hand. The other was draped over Rachel's shoulder, as if it were perfectly normal for it to be there. Rachel looked quite pleased with herself too and laughed at some stupid joke Puck had probably made.

"Fuck yeah, Berry! This is going to be EPIC!" Puck exclaimed, waving around the bag containing his copy of Justified Homicide: The Fraternity. "You get to run around as this badass and fucking kill people and shit."

"Oh, and I'm sure that's just what you need, to kill people."

"They aren't real people…"

Rachel only smiled and shook her head. As they passed a group of other teens that were watching them Puck's arm tightened around Rachel's shoulder, holding her closer. Some of the teens gawked.

"It's working!" Rachel whispered to Puck in glee.

"Yeah. I head Finn got pissed."

"How did you hear that?" Rachel exclaimed.

"Matt."

"Well how does he know? And is he even around anymore?"

"Yeah he's around."

"I haven't seen him once."

"That's because he chills with Finn. Matt told Finn about us."

"Who told him?"

"I did" Puck replied, trying not to smirk.

"Noah!" Rachel exclaimed, somewhere between horrified and jubilant.

"Whatever. Think of it as speeding up the process."

Rachel squinted her eyes at him, but smiled and kept walking. As they continued down Oakwood Boulevard Puck's phone chirped in his pocket. Rachel paid no attention as he checked the message and replied. Puck was _always_ getting texts when she was with him; she suspected he read and answered even more when she wasn't around. Had Rachel been paying attention, though, she would have noticed panic take over Puck's face. The text had been from Santana.

_WTF am I looking at?_

_Prolly ur own reflection like always lol_

_Nope. Just an asshole with his arm around a singing gnome._

Puck looked around frantically as he shoved his phone back in his pocket. Where the fuck was she? Girl was like a cat. She could hunt you down without you ever knowing she was there. "Shit."

"What's wrong?"

"Just brace yourself."

"For what? Noah, what's going on?"

"Santana."

Before Rachel could respond Santana was swooping down on them like a vulture upon finding dead meat. Brittany was gliding behind in her wake, a bit unsure of what her friend was going to do.

"Isn't this cute" Santana hissed, guarding her expression well. Rachel wasn't sure, but she thought a hint of jealousy could be detected in the Latina's voice.

"Tana, don't start" Puck warned.

"Don't call me _that._ I kicked your ass in sixth grade for it and I'll do it again. Don't think I can't." She glared at her friend, daring him to use the taboo nickname. "So…you're dating now, huh?"

Puck gazed at Rachel's red face before responding. "Yeah, we are."

Unbelievable. Santana turned on Rachel. "Bit soon, even for a rebound, don't ya think? It's pretty slutty."

Puck opened his mouth to retort but was beaten to the punch by Rachel. "You're one to talk, considering you're the one he slept with."

Mistaking that the remark was about Puck, Santana laughed cruelly. "Puck? Everyone's fucked Puck."

"Finn! I'm talking about Finn!"

"Oh. Well yeah, duh. Who wouldn't want to bang me? I'm hot, right Britt?" She looked over her shoulder at her blonde friend, who was nodding as if it were common knowledge. "And anyway, why would he have waited for you? Who wants their first time to be with another virgin? He wouldn't have learned anything from you."

"Yeah, well clearly he didn't learn anything from you either."

All in attendance went quiet. Rachel burned read at admitting that she a) had sex at all and b) that Finn was somewhat bad. Santana stepped back in offense because HELL TO THE NAH, there was no way Midget was insinuating she was a shitty lay. Puck smirked because he had KNOWN Hudson would suck. Brittany tried not to giggle at the thought of Finn being bad at sex. She imagined him being super clumsy and kinda stabby. She giggled louder.

"I-I didn't mean…"

"Oh yes you fucking did!" Santana crowed. "Oh my god, you did NOT just try to diss me, you pigmy! Honey grew some cajones over the summer, I see. Well remember this: I GOT you, bitch. I fuck good and I fuck hard. Ask your boyfriend here."

"DROP IT LOPEZ! It isn't always about you" Puck sneered, taking Rachel's hand and pulling her away.

"It was always about me, Puckerman!" She yelled at their backs, pride fueling her on.

"Yeah. WAS."

The tone in his voice shut her up. Was? The thought scared her. She was used to always being at the top of Puck's list. Was? Puck led Rachel from the encounter and out of sight, never letting go of the protective handhold. His phone buzzed again seconds later. Puck groaned because he knew the text was from Santana again. He tried to ignore it, but the problem with iPhones was that they kept dinging until the message was read. He vowed to ignore it anyway. Rachel, however, could not ignore the fact that another bitchy comment awaited in Puck's pocket. The perverse side of her was dying to read what Santana had to say next even though she knew very well that it was pure evil.

"Just read it, Noah."

"No. She's just going to be a bitch."

"Then let me read it." Puck thrust his phone angrily at Rachel and stomped on, refusing to pause. Rachel had no qualms about reading the message. "She said she wants to talk to you after you drop me off."

"Fuck her."

"She said 'please'."

"…really? She asked, not demanded?"

"Yeah. You should just go."

"I dunno…"

"Well I already told her you would."

"…thank you so much, Berry." Rachel only smirked and walked the rest of the way to Puck's car so he could take her home.

* * *

><p>Once Rachel was safely inside Puck sent a text to Santana that he had dropped Rachel off. Her only command was to come over. Santana did not answer her door with a hello when he rang the bell.<p>

"You have some fucking nerve, Puckerman." She didn't wait for him to respond before pushing him up to her room.

"I don't remember it being your business what I do. And _you_ have some fucking nerve swooping in like a dementor or some shit and sucking the life out of everyone."

"Are you for real with her or not?"

"What does it matter?" he asked defensively.

"Oooh…you are fucking yourself in the ass, just so you know."

"Whaddya mean?"

"Do you really think she gives a shit about you? Once she gets over the fact that Finn hooked up _once_ before he got with her, she'll go back to him. You know that? And you'll get left behind."

"It won't be like that. We aren't really together, alright?"

"Then what is it?"

"We're just working together to piss off Finn."

"Is it working?"

"I think so."

"So she's using you, then?"

"I…no?"

"Thought so."

"You're a bitch."

"Yeah? What's new? At least I'm real." Puck huffed and crossed his arms. "Puck, go back to who you used to be. Back to being an actual badass…when you were dating me. You used to be hot, but this mess? Not so much."

"We were never dating. Just fucking."

"But it _was_ good."

Puck grinned to himself. "Yeah, well…the fuck?"

Santana was easing herself into his lap, trapping him at the end of her bed. With a flick her hair fell from her ponytail and pooled around her shoulders. Puck began to protest but fell silent when she whipped her shirt over her head, exposing a lot of tanned skin Puck hadn't touched in a long time. His eyes focused in on her breasts. They were bigger than before, gorgeously filling the cups of her bra and then some.

"Whoa…San…"

"Like them?"

"They're fucking hot."

"Wanna see more? I don't disappoint."

"I…" The breasts pushing closer to his face were the ultimate temptation. Santana plus bigger tits would mean a whole lot of fun he'd been missing. He wanted it, wanted her. It was so easy too. He could feel his dick harden at the possibility of fucking her again. She really was good. No, more than good. She had moves that none of the other girls knew. She could coax him to near orgasm again and again and pull back just quick enough that it would last for forever. She was pro when it came to fucking him.

But Rachel…. Rachel would be so disappointed with him. His dick shrank back down.

"Fucking for real?" Santana made a disgusted face and leaned back to look him in the eye. "Are you serious? What now?"

"I can't do this. She'd never forgive me if I did."

"What do you care? She's just _Berry_. You two aren't even together. Not that it would normally stop you."

Puck shook his head. "You don't get it."

Santana backed off of him and put her hands on her jutting hips. "God. You really do like her." She scrunched her nose. "_Why?_"

"The fuck if I know."

The Latina plopped down next to Puck and grimly looked at the boy she thought she knew. The strain on his face was so jarring it made her second guess her instincts. "So you like _Rachel Berry_."

"You don't have to say it like that" he grumbled.

"I'm not going to pretend that this shit doesn't offend me. My bod can't distract you anymore? The fuck?"

Puck looked at Santana, handed her the shirt she'd tossed, and tried to reason the comment she'd made. "Kay, so your tits are huge now and it's almost impossible to say no to you, but it's not like you really care either. You don't really want me, you just want to be able to say you can have it if you feel like it."

Santana refused to acknowledge the truth he'd spoken and changed the subject. "Do you really want it to happen? Because if you really want her…I guess I can help you."

"What do you mean?"

Santana rolled her eyes and pulled her t-shirt back over her head. "Puck, I make things happen. I made Hudson and the Hobbit break up. I am currently making sure that Goth chick is hooking up with Mike Chang."

"How?"

"Easy. They're Asian. Do you think their parents could ignore the Asian music camp fliers I forwarded to their houses? I saw the pamphlets at the library. I think I'm going to start calling them Asian squared."

"You went to the library?"

"Britt and I were making…annotations in the sex books."

"You are just…wow."

"I know" she said proudly.

"Why are you bothering with them?"

"Because Wheels pisses me off and he deserves to be alone."

"That is totally fucked up."

"Screw him. He's an asshole. Do you see how he treats Gothy? Not cool. And anyway, Mike is chill. She isn't so bad either. She isn't as annoying as the other kids. I will it to be."

For a moment Puck scoffed at Santana's arrogance, but the girl was so sure that it began to sway his mind. That worried him even more. Had she really gained control of an entire student body without him noticing? He watched her nonchalantly adjust her bra under her and cringed.

"You were going to hook up with me and ruin whatever is going on with Rachel."

"Yeah."

"But now you're changing your mind…"

"Well I don't really like it, but you're, like, an actual friend of mine, so it cancels out. Or something." Santana thought on this for a moment and then shook her head. "Whatever. Does she even know that you're into her? For real?"

"Not really."

"Puck…." The Latina sighed loudly and shrugged her shoulders. "…you are so edging into deep shit."

"I know! Alright! Stop rubbing it in!"

"Does she at least like you too?"

"I don't know."

* * *

><p>What Puck didn't know was that after dropping Rachel off, the girl had shuffled around the house irritably. She snapped at her dads when they asked how lunch had been with Puck. She got into a heated argument on the BroadwayWorld forums so that the topic had been modded and locked. Then she hit a wrong note while practicing On My Own. She OWNED that song. Not. A good. Sign.<p>

When Puck didn't text or call after half an hour Rachel grew frustrated. At the hour mark she became a terror. She didn't trust Santana. The girl did nothing that didn't serve to met her wants. She wanted Puck's attention, that much had been clear. How far would she go and what was she was willing to do to get that attention was what worried Rachel. Puck hadn't responded to her texts, which made her suspicious, and sending more would make her look like an obsessive girlfriend. So, she put her phone down across the room to keep herself from obsessively checking it. But that didn't last long. She picked it back up ten minutes later. She fell asleep worrying about him too. What was he doing?

Puck was on the other side of town hiding from Rachel. She'd only sent two texts and he already felt weird about talking to her. He hadn't responded because he didn't know what to say to her now. His confessions to Santana had only left him feeling insecure. In short, he felt like an idiot. He was into a girl that had no reason to ever like him back. She was better than him in every way; she had intelligence and skill, money and dreams. He didn't. He had no hope of ever getting the girl, and that just plain embarrassed him. He didn't want to talk to her because there was nothing to say. So he chose to get drunk instead. It started out with him sharing the gin under Santana's bed. She'd gotten wasted before the bottle was even done, though. She kept mumbling crap about Brittany that Puck couldn't make sense of. Something about "lady babies." Before he left he made sure she was in bed and showed no signs of needing to vomit all over herself and her room.

He snuck out of her room at about midnight, which wasn't an easy task. The entire Lopez family was home, making it near impossible for Puck to sneak out the front door. The window had ended up being the best option. He'd dropped from the Lopez roof more times than he could count and actually knew the softest expanses of grass to land on.

At the liquor store he'd conned some trashy older chick to buy him booze and then drove to the hill outside of town. He was laying in the bed of his truck watching the moonless sky in the west. He wished he could go west, drive into the setting sun and not come back. There was nothing in Lima for him. For anyone really. He didn't want to be another loser stuck in a lame ass town with nothing going for him in life. He could do things! He could do lots of things! He just had to try. That was the problem with him. He hated having to try. If it didn't come naturally or easily, he didn't want to deal with it at all. Sports came easy. Guitar came easy. Being bad came easy. Listening to himself made him feel pathetic. That attitude would get him nowhere, but it seemed he was destined for nowhere anyway. He was a bad kid with a bad attitude. He had no chance anyway.

Looking down the slope of the pathetic excuse for a hill that separated him from the rest of the world, he felt his head begin to spin. About fucking time. He threw an empty bottle and listened as it broke with a satisfying crash.

Santana…that bitch. She couldn't just let anyone be. She had to be the manipulative twat that she was, controlling everything. He couldn't believe he'd almost let her use him again. It wasn't HIS fault she couldn't suck it the fuck up and just be with Britt like she wanted to be. Everyone knew but her. Now THAT was pathetic. No one gave a crap if she was a lezzie or whatever. She was still Santana; she was still scary as fuck and she was still hot. He would have wanted to do her…that is if he wasn't sitting in his truck like a bitch ass punk and wanting to do someone else….

FUCK. He didn't _want_ to like Rachel; she was really annoying half the time and always made suggestions no one wanted to hear. She told him how to drive, where they should eat, how to tip, how _not_ to speak to his sister, that his song choices were not complementary to his style, everything. He ignored all of it of course because no one fucking told Noah Puckerman how to behave.

But she also texted him good morning almost every day. And told him, after criticizing him, that she knew he was better than whatever asinine thing he had been doing. When she was with him she wanted to do things that would better him. Like practicing his music and writing more; she urged him to learn more advanced chord progressions so he could write more complex stuff that could get him noticed. She had faith that he could do big things too. He just had to start trying. She was also really good with his family, especially his sister. His mom was gone a lot because of work. Delilah needed to have girls around because clearly Puck was curving her in the wrong direction. She liked Rachel a lot. More than Quinn.

He just _really_ wanted to have her so she would always be around to do the nice things. And the cute things. And the smart things. She was golden. Puck furrowed his brow as his head swam. There was no fucking reason why shouldn't be his. He was a screw up, but he was getting better. She seemed to like being around him. Wasn't that good? Hudson wasn't any better than him. Okay…maybe he was a little nicer. But nice never kept people from being mean to Rachel. Instilling fear into her bullies had done that. HE'D been the one to make the slushies against her stop school wide. Puck puffed his chest. He would hunt down every asshole that dared to make her cry. Crying didn't suite the happy person she really was. Puck wanted to make sure she never cried again because when she cried he felt useless.

At that moment he wanted to see her so he could look at her face and memorize everything about it. He could picture her eyes and mouth, but what about her ears? What shape were they? And her neck? How long was it? He needed to find out. Like, now.

"RACHEL! BERRY?"

Puck stood in the middle of the Berry's lawn, occasionally chucking pebbles at Rachel's window. In his inebriated mind he was being quiet as a dormouse. In reality Puck was yelling loud enough to disrupt the neighbors. He'd tried calling Rachel, but her phone had gone straight to voicemail. What Puck didn't know was that Rachel had fallen asleep clutching her phone and it had died there during the night.

Puck threw another stone from the planter, missed, and ended up clipping the white paneling instead.

"Rachel! Come out!" Finally the light behind the window flickered on. " 'bout fucking time, Berry!"

In his success Puck tipped backwards and fell on his ass. The lawn wasn't such a horrible place to be…. Besides, the house didn't sway as much from the ground. It made it easier to concentrate on. The porch light flicked on, signaling the door to open on queue. The form now standing in the doorway was clearly irritated.

"Noah Puckerman?"

It approached quickly, robe flying behind like a cape.

"Whoa! You're not Rachel!"

"Shh! Obviously, Noah. Rachel's window is at the _back_ of the house."

"Huh." Puck frowned and looked up at the illuminated window. "So that's your room?"

"Yess." Mr. Berry hissed.

"Dude…my bad!" Puck smirked and failed to not laugh.

"Shh!" Mr. Berry looked around the neighborhood again in agitation. "Come on…" he held out a hand to Puck, which the boy took, and ushered him inside. In the living room the other Mr. Berry – the Jewish looking one – eyed Puck angrily.

"Hey! Sup Mr. Berry?"

"If you keep yelling I'm sending you right back out on the lawn and calling the police."

"My bad."

"Is that your half assed way of apologizing? Because it really doesn't work. It just makes you sound more like the delinquent that you are."

"Frank! Leave the boy alone."

"Why? He woke _me_ up trying to sneak out _our_ teenaged daughter."

The first Mr. Berry closed his eyes and sighed.

"Is Rachel home?" Puck queried, eyes half lidded.

"The Mr. Berrys exchanged meaningful glances. The angry one replied.

"Of course she is. The question is, why aren't you?"

"I needed to tell her something."

"Noah, why are you drunk?" the calmer one replied.

Puck sneered. "Yo! It's Puck, not Noah. No one calls me that."

"Rachel does."

"Yeah, well Rach is different than everyone else." The calm Mr. Berry hid the smile on his face.

"You couldn't wait to talk to her tomorrow No…er…Puck?"

"Didn't even think about it." Puck paused and thought about how mad Rachel would be if he woke her up. It wouldn't be a pretty sight. "Do you think I should wait until tomorrow?"

"That would probably be a good idea."

"Okay. I'll come back tomorrow." Puck moved to stand and stumbled.

"Whoa." The grumpy Mr. Berry put out a hand and forced Puck back onto the couch. "Did you drive here, son?"

"Yup. My truck's in the driveway. I think."

The Mr. Berrys exchanged glances again. "We can't let him drive home" the nicer Mr. Berry said to his partner.

The other one sighed. "I know. Puck, you're staying right there until you sober up."

Puck laughed. "That's gonna take a while."

"We can tell. I'll go get you a blanket." The nicer Mr. Berry left through a hallway next to the stairs leading to Rachel's room.

"You" the scarier Mr. Berry began, "are going to stay in that spot all night. You are not going to step a foot on those stairs, you are not going to try and drive home. I'm going to call your mother and let her know where you are."

Puck watched the other Mr. Berry go into the kitchen and pick up the phone. He closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the top of the sofa. His mom was going to be _pissed_ with him if and when she answered the call. The yelling after he went back home would be horrific. Best pretend it wasn't happening. Puck happily dozed off, his heavy eyelids doing most of the work for him. He awoke only briefly before knocking out for the evening. Somewhere in the back of his head he could hear the Mr. Berrys talking about him.

"Is he asleep?"

"Looks like it. What a pain in the ass."

"What did his mother say?"

"What _can_ she say? She sounded so embarrassed. I would be too."

"I wonder what was going through his mind…to show up here at 2 in the morning."

"He probably wanted to proposition her for sex."

"You think so?"

Puck imagined himself rolling his eyes. "Yeah right…" he drunkenly mumbled, the alcohol hitting him hard.

"Noah? Are you awake?"

"Not sex."

"Then what?"

"To tell her I'm going to make sure she never has a reason to cry again."

"Why?"

"Because I like her…"

* * *

><p><strong>I think Puck just crashed the denial train! <strong>

**If you've been following this story, and I _know_ some of you are ;) then you will be pleased to know that the next chapter is what you've been waiting for. Just sayin'...**

**Oh, and also? I have razor blades hidden in my hair Mmmhmm. Tons. Just all up in there.**


	8. Inebriated Lightness

**Hello lovlies. For all of you magnificent ladies (and gentlemen?) who have been keeping up with this story, you have reached the culmination of 7 chapters of angsty denial. Happy? A little relieved I didn't fuck you over and make it a Finchel ending? I see Puckleberry happening in five...four...three...two...**

* * *

><p>Rachel woke up horrified to find that she'd not only slept all night in yesterday's clothes, but had neglected her routines like plugging in her phone. It took her only seconds to remember why she'd fallen asleep holding her it in the first place. She immediately turned sullen. <em>Maybe he'd called while her phone was dead<em>. Rachel jumped up and docked her iPhone in the stereo/charger. As soon as there was enough juice she powered it on. It took the phone a minute to catch up with itself, but soon enough it dinged with missed calls, text messages, and voicemails. There had been three missed calls from Noah, which made her absolutely irritated with herself. The text was from an unknown number and had been sent at about 10pm. It read:

_Hi Rachel, this is Delilah. Is my brother there with you? He hasn't come home yet and my mom is freaking out._

Worry immediately overtook her. If she'd plugged in her phone she wouldn't have missed the message and all this trouble wouldn't have happened. Before replying she listened to the voicemail. It did nothing to lessen her worry. The call was from the Puckerman home landline, more specifically Noah's mother.

"Rachel? Honey, this is Noah's mom. I just received a _very_ interesting phone call. Since I assume Noah is unable to answer his phone at the moment, I am leaving it up to you to let him know that _his ass is mine_ when he gets home. You're okay, right? My son didn't do anything stupid I hope. Well, anything stupider than what I already know about. Make sure he calls me? Okay? And hit him upside the head for me while you're at it. Thanks hun."

Rachel stared at her phone in confusion. Why would she know where Noah was? She guessed someone had informed his mother of his whereabouts, but, again, why would Rachel be the one contacting him first? At least she knew he was okay. That made the worry drop down several notches.

She slowly stepped down the stairs, contemplating where Puck could have been, and swerved into the kitchen. Her dads were huddled at the kitchen bar top quietly jabbering back and forth. They continuously glanced back and forth between each other and the living room.

"…good morning" Rachel greeted suspiciously.

"Morning Princess" her dad responded absentmindedly, sending death glares at the living room. Rachel spun around and finally noticed the sleeping figure on the couch. He lay haphazardly across the cushions, a leg thrown over the side and an arm over his eyes. He looked like hell.

"Daddy…why is Noah on our couch?"

"He slept there last night."

She turned slowly and eyed her dads. "Why was he here in the first place?"

"That's what we want to know."

"He came to 'talk to you', or that's what he said before he passed out" her tougher dad said.

Their daughter turned defensive in an instant. "He…we didn't do anything! I didn't know he was even here!"

"It's alright, honey. I know. I checked on you after he got here. You were sleeping. We already called his mother, so she knows where he is-"

"Rachel, are you dating him?"

"What? No!" Her dad looked right through her overly defensive claims. "Well, not for real…just for a little while…kind of but not really?"

"He seems to like you very much" her daddy added. Rachel flushed and self consciously played with her hair.

"He's just my friend."

"I don't think so. That's not what he thinks anyway."

"What exactly did he say to you?" Rachel broached cautiously.

"Keep in mind he was, is, drunk. He told us that only you get to call him Noah because you are different than everyone else."

"And that he came to tell you that he is going to make sure no one hurts you anymore."

"I, um…" Rachel turned back to the sleeping boy.

She felt her daddy come close and bring his face close to her ear. "He likes you, honey. It's okay."

"Anyway" her dad interrupted, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Now it's _your_ responsibility to deal with him. We are not going to baby sit all day just because he's still drunk."

"Okay." She took a seat on a bar stool and pretended to be very interested in the newspaper. Her daddy smiled at her dad. Her dad didn't exactly return the corny sentiment. He didn't find the awkwardness of teenaged angst to be that endearing. He'd left it behind long ago and was grateful. They left then, off to a brunch meeting with a decorator. Rachel swiveled back and waited approximately two seconds before leaping over to Puck.

"Noah?" Rachel poked a rock hard arm to no response. "Noah, wake up" she commanded. When Puck's eyes didn't open Rachel shook him harder. He barely stirred and murmured something incoherent about Mario Brothers. Determined, Rachel put her hands on her hips. "Fine. You leave me no choice." She took a deep breath, knelt next to Puck, and belted the loudest, highest note she could muster.

It was safe to say the near screeching noise woke him sufficiently. Puck jerked back into the corner of the couch, eyes wide. He threw his arms up in a horribly stereotypical martial arts stance before realizing it was just Rachel.

Why was he was looking at Rachel so early in the morning? Where was he? Puck manically analyzed his surroundings. He looked somewhat like a trapped animal.

"Where am I?"

"At my house where you drunkenly passed out sometime early this morning. I must say, Noah, your disregard for your mother's nerves and my fathers' need for sleep is very rude. You've worried a lot of people."

"Oh god…" Puck threw his arm back over his eyes in defiance. As if not seeing would make it all go away. "Please stop. Now."

"Fine. But I'm not done punishing you yet. Your mother told me to."

"What?"

"Your mother called me earlier this morning. You are in _so_ much trouble."

"Fuck it."

Rachel rolled her eyes and plopped down on the coffee table. "Are you okay?" she asked, dropping the 'mom' tone from her voice.

Puck removed his arm from one eye to peer at her. "Yeah. Just tired."

"Do you want Tylenol or anything?"

"Girl, I'm Puckzilla. I don't get hungover."

"Really…"

"Yeah. I'm just…"

"Tired?" she helped.

"Yeah."

"Right."

"So, sleep well?" he asked cockily, changing the subject. Or trying at least.

"Why did you show up at my house at two in the morning?"

Puck began to answer and then stopped short. "I…don't remember."

Rachel eyed his lying face and raised an eyebrow. "Liar."

"Can we just leave it?"

"Fine. Why didn't you call or text me after you went to Santana's?"

"Shit. Come on."

"Pick one and answer it. I think I deserve an answer." Puck refused to answer either question. "Fine. Just great _Puck_. Your courage astounds me." Rachel jumped up and stomped to the stairs. "See yourself out."

Puck sighed and cursed to himself. "Hold on!" He was answered with her door slamming shut. Fuck. Why did she have to be such a girl?

Puck reluctantly got up. Once upstairs he stared at Rachel's closed door and knocked lightly. "Will you open the door?" Nothing. "Come on. Please?" Suddenly the loud strains of RENT came blasting from behind the door. "Turn it down and let me talk to you!" Puck yelled, bringing a prick of pain to his head. When she refused he slammed an angry fist into the door. Puck took a step back, looked to his left and right, and then entered the closest room. It was an office or something. He ignored the fancy leather chairs and expensive computer systems and threw open the window. Peering outside, he found exactly what he was looking for. Across the back of the house was a short section of gabled roof that ran under all of the windows, essentially connecting them with a shingled path. Puck eased his way out of the study, onto the black roof shingles, and across to Rachel's bedroom window.

When he peeked inside he saw her sitting on the bed with her back to him. She was watching the locked door. Quietly she got up and crept to the door. When she put her ear to it Puck knew she found silence. It only piqued her curiosity more. Because of the noise coming from the stereo she didn't hear Puck open the window and climb inside. With the suspense too great, Rachel opened the partition a crack and peeked out. She was so absorbed in the possibility that he had really left that she never heard him walk up behind her and look out the door as well.

"I can't believe he actually left" she murmured out loud.

"I know, right?"

Rachel screamed and leapt away from the voice. Lucky for her, Puck had already reached out to grab her waist, keeping her from launching into the heavy door.

"LET GO OF ME!" she screamed, kicking uselessly. Puck acquiesced. Rachel spun around on the spot. So mad was she that she uttered one of her forbidden words. "What the _fuck_, Puck?"

"Did you just curse?"

"What in the hell is the matter with you?" She didn't wait for an answer before slapping him hard in the chest. Repeatedly. Puck would have let her continue had it not begun to sting through his t-shirt. At once he caught her wrists and held them back.

"Let me go!"

"Stop screaming and listen to me!"

"Why now? You didn't want to talk before!"

"You weren't pissed before."

"You weren't lying before."

"I'm not fucking lying!"

"Let go!"

"Not until you listen, dammit!"

"I don't have to" she spat. "I already know anyway."

"What do you mean?"

"You told my dad's last night."

Puck hardened his grip. "Explain."

Rachel sneered. It frightened him. Rachel never sneered. "I just wanted to hear you admit it without being wasted."

"What did I say to them, Rachel?" he insisted, pushing her flush against the door. Slowly he let go of her wrists.

Her already flushed face reddened more. "You told them that you like me."

"I…why is this fucking music so loud?" Puck strode to the nightstand and ceased the ironically playing _I Should Tell You_. The resulting silence was just as deafening. When he had the nerve to look at her again Puck noticed Rachel was in yesterday's clothes. Like him. "Isn't that what you were wearing yesterday?"

Rachel looked down at her spent clothes and glared up at him. "Yeah. I fell asleep waiting for you to call me."

"My bad…"

"So? What did she want?"

"Rach, can we not?"

"What. Did. She. Want?"

"She called me over to hook up. A booty call."

Rachel's eyes widened. "Well did you?"

"No!"

"Why not?"

"Because…um…"

"_What?_"

"I didn't want to disappoint you! God!"

Rachel stepped away from the door and played with the ring on her middle finger. He could see her mentally backing down and couldn't stand it. He wanted her to stand up to him; not everyone had the guts to. "What do you care what I think? You never cared before."

"Oh drop the wounded dear act! Clearly I care. So do you. And stop fishing! Shit, you wanna know everything so damn much? Fine. I like you, Rachel. I mean for real like you. Like, I want you just for me. And I don't want to sleep around or see other people. I just want you next to me, bitching about everything and telling me off when I'm an asshole. I just want to be with you! And Santana got fucking jealous and wanted to screw me up."

"Santana was jealous? Of _me_?"

"Of you. So she wanted me to forget about you and go back to how I used to be with her."

"She could be good with you."

"No she couldn't because she loves someone else. She knows it too and finally backed off. Not before saying shit, though."

"What kind of 'shit'?"

"You're using me, just like she used to."

Rachel paused. She wasn't using him. They were just working together. Right? "We're just doing each other a favor is all."

"What good does this do me, Rach? You piss off Finn, but what do I get?"

"I…um…I don't know."

"Neither do I. So that's it. You're using me to make Finn jealous and now I'm into you. Wonderful." Puck turned around and punched at the air in frustration.

"What do you want from me, Noah?"

"Just be real. Do you like me too, or not? Because sometimes I think you do. But sometimes you seem really uninterested. It's frustrating, dude. So what is it?"

Crippling fear overtook her. This was not happening. He was not turning the situation around on her. The interrogation was supposed to be about him, not her feelings. He was the one that needed to explain himself. …but not really. She had no right to be jealous of what Puck had or did with Santana. She was acting crazy. Like a selfish…_girlfriend_. Oh god…

"What do you think of me, Rach?"

"I don't know." Puck's face reddened in rage. Without a word he stormed towards the door. "Noah!" she choked, reaching for him. It was only the glimmer of hope that stopped him from leaving. "Don't go" she whimpered, trying not to cry. Puck gave her a withering glance.

"Why?"

"I-"

"If you say 'I don't know' I'm fucking leaving."

"I'm sorry! God! But I don't! I just don't want you leaving mad at me."

"But it was okay for you to get pissed and leave me downstairs?"

"That's different."

"How?"

"Because I knew you'd come after me."

"The fuck, Rach? I'm not a puppet or some shit." Rachel looked away. "You know, I may be a total asshole half the time, but at least I know exactly what I want."

"Oh yeah? And what exactly does Noah Puckerman want?"

"You." The statement made Rachel tear up. "I want you to forget about this revenge bullshit so we can date for real. I want you to admit that we are good together."

"Any other demands?"

"Yeah." Puck stepped to her in one fast movement. He gently pushed her back into the door and twirled a lock of her hair around his finger. Rachel, eyes wider than usual, didn't push him away. She tilted her head back to look up at the boy towering above her. Why wasn't she running away? Yelling? Because everything had been building up to this and it felt exactly right. Cradling Rachel's face in his hands, Puck leaned down and kissed her.

She didn't even pretend to resist. Her arms, of their own accord, snaked around his neck and shoulders so she could hoist herself up. He enjoyed this new angle and pressed further into her. One large hand traveled the small expanse of her back, snuck under her shirt, and held her closer to him in a possessive embrace. Her breaths came out in short pants against his ear when his mouth moved to her neck. Eyes pinched shut, Rachel felt little zings emanating from her core race up her spine. Her breath caught at the unexpected charge, breasts pressing into his chest as her back arched unconsciously. She breathily moaned against his temple. "It worries me how much I want you too." She felt him smile into her neck in response. The prickles of his closely cropped hair tickled her fingers when they danced up his neck. His mohawk was finally back to it's pre-shaven state. It always surprised her that his hair wasn't course like it seemed. His hair was actually quite fine and curled lightly, creating a soft stripe down his head.

Puck's breath came out heavy against Rachel's skin. He loved the feeling of her playing with his hair. It made him a little dizzy and caused his body to respond in ways she felt against her stomach. The delicious tingles he was causing radiated throughout her abdomen, up her chest, and into her shoulders. Oh god, this was real. This wasn't some daydream-fantasy she'd concocted. He was really pinning her to her bedroom door and she was really pulling his face even closer. The zings, which had become more and more constant turned into a light pulsing. A similar feeling was taking over Puck. His hands were everywhere at once, tangling in her hair, slipping under her shirt, pulling her waist against his, and sliding down her thigh as he brought her leg up and around his hips. From within the confines of his shorts a hardness grew, pressing into her pubic bone. He wanted it so bad it was almost physically painful. He could imagine how glorious she would feel around him, the stretch of her so tight. He knew she would let him have her right there and it would be so simple, but an obnoxious nagging in the back of his mind wouldn't go away. How many times had he been in this position? How many girls had he done this to? Puck pulled back enough to gasp out what he wasn't willing to do.

"Not like this, Rach" he breathed, very reluctant to say anything at all.

"Wha…what?" she gasped, not hearing him quite right through the pulsing in her ears.

"Not yet. Not like this."

"Don't stop" she moaned, ignoring him.

"Need to take you out…prop-properly."

"Screw it."

"I respect you."

"I think I can feel something coming. I want it, Noah."

"Shit, Rach…"

"Give me what I want." She could barely believe the words coming from her mouth. Who was this girl? Puck growled into her skin and finally nipped at her ear. He could give and not take. He snaked a hand between them, ripped at the button on her jeans, and pulled the zipper down. Rachel let out an erotic hiss as his hand dipped inside her underwear. At first she sighed as the satisfying feeling she recognize released a little of her pent up energy. But then Puck did something she wasn't familiar with, drawing a loud gasp from between her lips. What was _that_? He did it again and again until he'd built up a rhythm that had her hips pressing forward to match. Who cared what _it_ was so long as he never stopped….

Rachel cried out as it finally hit her, a pulse of pleasure temporarily dumbing her mind. It ran throughout her body, extending to every limb and digit. She tensed all at once, everything curling in on herself. Even her breath stopped to experience this new feeling. How to describe it? What words were there to explain this feeling? She finally understood why women sounded so vague when describing this. There were not enough words to encapsulate this glorious sensation. It was an inebriating lightness brought upon by heavy indulgence. It was everything she'd heard about but more. The feeling gradually faded, leaving her with an embarrassingly sloppy grin. Slowly she unfurled herself from him, coming back into her own and realizing he was looking at her. Her face grew crimson. How could she have ever expected _that_? It was a release of all the built up tension sex created. The orgasm. The elusive part of sex she hadn't understood. _Now_ she got why everyone talked about sex so much. How could they talk about anything else after knowing what _that_ felt like? She was still breathing hard when she finally spoke, her head a little light and legs weak.

"I had no…I…words?" She gazed up at him, eyes wide in shock. Puck grinned down at her and kissed her forehead.

"Do you still think sex is overrated?"

Rachel's shocked eyes flashed in recognition. She _had_ said that, hadn't she? "No. It can't be."

"That was only the tip of the iceberg, babe."

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><p><strong>TEENY TINY SMUT SCENE! Hullo! Rachel is a LADY. She does not invite strangers into her...private affairs. This is the second smutty bit I had to cut back. The first? With Finn. AHHHH! Now aren't you glad I chucked it way back when and decided ya'll would have been furious with me? He didn't even wake up in that scene when I was finished hacking it to bits. Bwahaha!<strong>

**The next chapter is basically an epilogue, so we've come to the end of the road here. I can see the finish line...and it is good... See you tomorrow.**


	9. Stranger Things Had Happened

****Thanks for stopping by and reading Stranger Things and thanks to anyone who story alerted, story faved, or reviewed! Now I can get the chance to drop by your fics and check them out :)** **

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><p><em>The next day<em>

On the other side of town Santana was doing investigative research. She perched herself on a deck chair by the pool and planned on how to make Puck and Manhands happen. If Puck was her homeboy, which he was, then she had to watch his back. If not blatantly, then at least secretly.

She squinted out over the Olympian pool through oversized, I-just-got-out-of-rehab sunglasses and punched in a number on her cell phone. She needed outside input on this new revelation and knew the perfect person. She was just as bitchy, but in a much more underhanded way.

"Hello?" Quinn answered, distracted by a sound in her back yard.

"Hey Q."

Quinn hadn't recognized the voice at first. Santana hadn't exactly spoken to her since the baby.

"Santana! Long time no bitch."

"Right? So I have a question for you."

"Can you hold on a sec? I think someone is breaking into my yard."

"For serious? Shit! Greedy motherfuckers need to get a job instead of jacking people who work for their shit. Your mom should totally call that security system guy my dad hired. If you bribe him he won't connect a sensor to your window. It's genius."

Quinn scurried to peak through the back window only to spy Puck lugging pool equipment. "Never mind. It's Puck. He's here to clean my pool I guess."

Santana scoffed. "Nice timing. About him. What do you think about him and Manhands."

"I dunno. I don't spend much time thinking about…Manhands?"

Quinn stared agog as Rachel Berry shuffled into view, practically dragging a large plastic bucket. From the looks of it, the bucket was very heavy. Almost too heavy for her tiny frame. Whaaaat the fuck?

"HE-LLO?" Santana growled into the phone. She didn't _do_ being ignored.

"Sorry. It's just…Manhands. She…"

"Yeah, Puck's trying to hook up with her. _For real_."

"I can see that."

"What do you mean? Is she there with him?"

"Yeah. They just walked into the backyard."

"No shit!"

Through the curtain sheers Quinn watched Rachel cry out as the bucket began to slip from her hands. Puck turned and silently laughed before jogging over and taking it from her. Manhands smiled and mouthed the words thanks as Puck leaned down and kissed her.

"Oh my god, he's kissing her" Quinn deadpanned.

"That's so disssgusting" Santana hissed, drawing out the word dramatically. "Now what?"

"He's smiling back…they're walking to the pool…his arm is around her shoulders…"

"Are you for serious? Ew. Why is he being, like, nice?"

"I think he really likes her, Santana."

"That mother…he didn't even let me do my job. What a pussy."

"Well, shouldn't we be impressed or something? I mean, he got her on his own terms."

"Whatever. It's still fucking weird that Puck is into Yentl."

"I haven't digested it yet."

"You know what you should do? You need to find out what's up with them. GO SPY!"

"What?" Quinn dropped the curtain and stepped away from the window. "Santana, I am not going out there. It's going to be awkward."

"Oh suck it up, Juno. Go out there."

"You know, insulting me won't get it done any faster."

"What do you want me to do? Beg?"

"You wouldn't even if I wanted you to. Just asking _nicely_ would suffice."

"Fine. Would you…_please_ go into your backyard and spy on them for me? I need updates before I decide whether I am going to support this or not."

"What do I even say?"

"I don't know. Tell him you want him to drain the pool and scrub it or something."

"No way! It would cost a fortune. My other would kill me."

"Come on, Q. If you don't I'm coming over and you KNOW I'll make a scene."

"Why do you care, anyway?"

"Because Puckerman passed me over to be with the Keebler Elf. Not cool."

Quinn widened her eyes and stifled a laugh. "Are you serious? That's…"

"Unacceptable. I want you to find out if he's for real, for real, or just gonna 'schmuck it to fuck it'."

"…how do you come up with this stuff?"

"I'm a genius."

Quinn sighed and chewed her bottom lip. "What do I get if I do this?"

"My undying gratitude."

"Try again."

"Dinner at Breadstix?"

"For how many?"

"Three, duh. If you get to go, so do I. And if I go, you know Bee goes."

"Deal."

"Awesome. So go. Call me when they leave, or whatever."

"Will do." Quinn clicked her phone shut hard and peeked out the curtains again. Rachel was sitting pool side, reading the side of a bottle of chemical with a worried look on her face. As Puck tested the chlorine or something he smirked and flicked enough water at Rachel to drench her shorts. She laughed and returned the gesture. It made Quinn grin. _Kinda cute_. They really weren't so bad together. When Puck was with Manhands he acted like a semi-decent guy. Being with the midget wouldn't do any real harm…. Quinn smoothed her hair and threw open the French doors leading to the patio.

"Hey you guys" she began, shading her eyes with a hand. She noticed the two take an unconscious scootch away from each other under the glaring mid-July sun.

"Sup Quinn?" Puck replied, fishing for something invisible with his net.

Quinn put her hands on her lower back – a leftover pregnancy habit – and weighed her options. To be rude, to be a good spy, to try and be nice. She came to a middle ground. "So Santana told me to come out here so I can spy on you…you can stop pretending that you aren't together now." Rachel blushed but quickly took back her spot nearer Puck. Quinn smiled tightly at her and plopped down to swish her legs in the water too. "She sounds jealous."

"Yeah, that's what I said." Puck nodded, still fiddling with the handle of the net.

"Are you going to make this hard for us, too? Because it's not going to make us stop seeing each other. This isn't a joke."

"Why would I?" Quinn asked, truly confused. "I don't care about what either of you do."

"Well, the whole baby…thing…with Noah…" Rachel shifted her gaze to somewhere near Quinn's ear. Obviously no one else was ready to talk about babygate yet.

"That's done with, Man…err, Rachel. Puck is a good guy…sometimes. It just doesn't work for us, right Puck?"

"Nope" he agreed. "All the issues with Beth and the drama it caused…it kinda ruined it."

"Oh please, there was no chance in the first place."

"So you're okay if we…date?"

"Don't really care so long as my pool stays clean." Quinn winked at Puck and swished her hand so it sent ripples across the water. "You know, she's only pissed because you chose Rachel over her."

"I don't know why. She didn't give a rat's ass about me before" Puck grumbled. "She's been MIA all summer."

"It's the principle. You were with her first and she has some twisted idea that she should always be everyone's priority. I think she's being weird about Britt again and is trying to take it out on someone other than herself."

"She's still not admitting it?"

"Nope."

"Stupid. She's fucking stupid."

"Admitting what?" Rachel asked, confusion clouding her face.

Puck let the net fall with a clack, he wasn't working anyway, and crouched down to Quinn and Rachel's level. "She's totally of the lezzie persuasion."

"What?"

"I wouldn't say that" Quinn corrected. "She's just of the Brittany persuasion. She still likes sleeping with boys, just not as much as sleeping with Brittany is all."

"Santana's…bi? The sluttiest girl in school, the one who has had oral sex with the entire football team, really just wants to sleep with Brittany?"

"Dunno" Puck replied, chewing his lip. "I have a feeling it isn't just about sex with Brittany, though. Have you seen the way she looks at her. It isn't a horny look, I would know. I think she really loves her."

"And Britt really loves her back" Quinn added.

"So why aren't they together?"

"It's Santana!" Quinn answered, as if that were reason enough. "She has this need to be in control of EVERYTHING and EVERYONE. It's like…she thinks people will think she's weak if she has any flaws. At all. It's why she tries so hard to be perfect. And the flaws she does have? She flaunts them to the point where they're her power. Her attitude? If she didn't use it to her advantage, do you really think she would survive high school? Bitchy girls have to be _really_ bitchy to make themselves popular. Otherwise people would cut her down. She just HAS to be everything all at once. I don't know how she does it, to be honest with you. Even I couldn't pull it off all the time. She does. And she isn't going to let anything take that away. That means not being gay."

"That is ridiculous. And nonsensical." Rachel shook her head and looked up at Puck. "Even if she admitted it to everyone, I don't see her letting people push her around. She'd still be Santana and really, _really_ scary if provoked."

"We know. Like I said. She's being fucking stupid. She's going to crack. She has to at some point."

"It sounds so stressful…" Rachel thought about all the pressure she felt to just be accepted by the Glee Club. What kind of work was it to be popular and then stay that way? WHILE being in the closet.

"Alright lovebirds, I think we're done here. I'm supposed to find out if you're really into Rachel or just trying to do her. So, synopsis: yes, you really are dating; yes, you really like each other; yes, you're staying this way?"

"Yeah. I really like her, Q" Puck smiled at Rachel; she beamed back.

"Right…you're totally not grossing me out or anything." Quinn rolled her eyes and stood, surveying the pristine blue of the pool. "I gotta go. I have to call Santana back with my updates before she comes over here and tries to drown Rachel in the pool or something." She laughed and headed towards the house. As she closed the door behind her she took one last peek. She caught Puck's eye and smiled, mouthing _be good_ before letting it click shut.

Puck would really make it work with Rachel. Quinn just knew. It was like watching him cleaning a pool. When he cared about something, he made sure it was immaculate and always cared for. He took care of Rachel better than any of the other boys the brunette had tried to date. He would be good to her, good _for_ her, and Rachel would do the same. Together they were balanced; just enough tough and drive to go places that seemed hard to get to. She could see them lasting, maybe even making it through the rest of high school. From there, who knew? Stranger things had happened.

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><p><strong>:( *sniff sniff* We've come to the end yous guise!<strong>

**:) BUT! This epilogue also works as a transitional piece to my sequel _The Worth of Reputation_ which will already be up by the time you read this.**

**:( _Reputation_ isn't about Puckleberry, though. It's a Brittana story.**

**:) WAIT! BUT! _Reputation_ is also HEAVILY invaded by Puck and Rachel. I'm pretty sure they pop up in every chapter I've already typed up. I mean...c'mon now. Santana was indirectly responsible for making it possible for Puck and Rach to get together. It's only fair that they are responsible for helping her out with her own denial-bubbled self. It's Rachel and Puck's turn to interfere in Santana's life! I hope some of you decide to drop by and check it out!**


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